Buffer Overflow Vulnerability in Ghostscript Affects Multiple Alpine Versions

ghostscript Updated 02 Oct 2025

Summary

10/11/2024

Disclosed on

N/A

Severity

Yes i

Fix available

High

Severity

7.8

CVSS Score

ALPINE-CVE-2024-46952: An issue was discovered in pdf/pdf_xref.c in Artifex Ghostscript before 10.04.0. Affects ghostscript versions < 10.04.0-r0. Fixed in 10.04.0-r0. How to fix ↓

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Background

Ghostscript is an interpreter for the PostScript language and for PDF. It is widely used for processing PDF files and converting them into various formats. The package is essential for applications that require document rendering and manipulation. However, a critical vulnerability has been identified in Ghostscript that affects multiple versions of Alpine Linux, making it imperative for users to address this issue to maintain system integrity.

Vulnerability Detail

An issue was discovered in pdf/pdf_xref.c in Artifex Ghostscript before version 10.04.0. This vulnerability is characterized by a buffer overflow that occurs during the handling of a PDF XRef stream, specifically related to W array values. If exploited, this could lead to arbitrary code execution, allowing attackers to compromise the affected system. The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 7.8, indicating a high severity level.

How To Fix

Minimum fixed version

10.04.0-r0

This is the first release that contains the fix.

sudo apk add --upgrade ghostscript

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Workaround

Currently, there are no specific workarounds recommended for this vulnerability. The best course of action is to update to the patched version as soon as it is available.

Conclusion

The buffer overflow vulnerability in Ghostscript poses a significant risk to users of Alpine Linux. It is essential to update to the patched version to mitigate potential exploitation. Users are encouraged to monitor their systems and utilize tools like Vulert to stay informed about vulnerabilities.

See every vulnerability recorded for ghostscript →