Critical Vulnerability in Ghostscript: Bypass of Sandbox Protection Mechanism
Summary
ALPINE-CVE-2018-17961: Artifex Ghostscript 9.25 and earlier allows attackers to bypass a sandbox protection mechanism via vectors involving errorhandler setup. Affects ghostscript versions < 9.25-r1. Fixed in 9.25-r1. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
Ghostscript is an interpreter for the PostScript language and for PDF. It is widely used for rendering documents and converting them into various formats. The package is known for its powerful capabilities in handling graphics and text, making it a crucial tool in many software applications. However, Ghostscript versions 9.25 and earlier are vulnerable to a critical security issue that allows attackers to bypass its sandbox protection, potentially leading to unauthorized access and exploitation.
Vulnerability Detail
Artifex Ghostscript 9.25 and earlier versions contain a vulnerability that allows attackers to bypass a sandbox protection mechanism through improper error handler setup. This issue arises from an incomplete fix for a previous vulnerability (CVE-2018-17183). If exploited, this vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code within the Ghostscript environment, leading to severe consequences such as data breaches or system compromise.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
9.25-r1
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apk add --upgrade ghostscriptTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary measure, users can limit the execution of Ghostscript in environments where sandboxing is critical. This may involve configuring the application to restrict Ghostscript's access to sensitive resources or running it in a controlled environment.
Conclusion
The vulnerability in Ghostscript poses a serious risk due to its ability to bypass sandbox protections, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code. It is crucial for users to update to the patched version 9.25-r1 to mitigate this risk. Additionally, utilizing tools like Vulert can help in monitoring and managing vulnerabilities in software applications.
See every vulnerability recorded for ghostscript →
FAQ
The CVSS score of this vulnerability is 8.6, indicating a high level of severity.
Ghostscript versions 9.25 and earlier are affected by this vulnerability.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
Exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, or system compromise, posing significant risks to affected systems.
Yes, Vulert can monitor and alert you in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using just a manifest file like package-lock.json.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for ghostscript.
