CVE-2020-17538: Buffer Overflow

Published Aug 13, 2020
·
Updated

A buffer overflow vulnerability in GetNumSameData() in contrib/lips4/gdevlips.c of Artifex Software GhostScript from v9.18 to v9.50 allows a remote attacker to cause a denial of service via a crafted PDF file. This is fixed in v9.51.

Other sources

A buffer overflow vulnerability in GetNumSameData() in contrib/lips4/gdevlips.c of Artifex Software GhostScript v9.50 allows a remote attacker to cause a denial of service via a crafted PDF file. This is fixed in v9.51.

— Launchpad

Affected Software

9 affected componentsFixes available
redhat/ghostscript<9.51
9.51
Artifex Ghostscript>=9.18<9.52
Debian Debian Linux=9.0
Debian Debian Linux=10.0
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=16.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=18.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=20.04
Artifex Ghostscript=9.50
debian/ghostscript
9.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u79.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u1110.0.0~dfsg-11+deb12u810.05.1~dfsg-1+deb13u110.07.0~dfsg-2

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/ghostscript to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 9.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u7Fixed in 9.53.3~dfsg-7+deb11u11Fixed in 10.0.0~dfsg-11+deb12u8Fixed in 10.05.1~dfsg-1+deb13u1Fixed in 10.07.0~dfsg-2
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/ghostscript to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 9.51
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade Artifex Software GhostScript to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in v9.51Patch 701792
  4. Compensating control

    Until upgraded, mitigate exposure by limiting how GhostScript processes untrusted/externally supplied PDF files (e.g., restrict PDF submission sources and avoid processing attacker-controlled PDFs).

Event History

Aug 13, 2020
CVE Published
via MITRE·02:10 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·02:10 AM
Description
Aug 19, 2020
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·03:26 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Feb 23, 2026
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·08:07 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·08:08 PM
Description
Mar 25, 2026
Data Sourced
via Debian·08:30 PM
DescriptionAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the vulnerability ID of this vulnerability?

The vulnerability ID is CVE-2020-17538.

2

What is the title of this vulnerability?

The title of this vulnerability is 'A buffer overflow vulnerability in GetNumSameData() in contrib/lips4/gdevlips.c of Artifex Software GhostScript v9.50.'

3

What is the severity level of CVE-2020-17538?

CVE-2020-17538 has a severity level of medium, with a severity value of 5.5.

4

How does CVE-2020-17538 affect Artifex Software GhostScript?

CVE-2020-17538 allows a remote attacker to cause a denial of service via a crafted PDF file in Artifex Software GhostScript v9.50.

5

How can I fix CVE-2020-17538 in Artifex Software GhostScript?

To fix CVE-2020-17538 in Artifex Software GhostScript, update to version 9.51 or later.

Company

Resources

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