Critical Ghostscript Vulnerability: Important Security Update Required
Summary
RLSA-2026:83553: Important: ghostscript security update. Affects ghostscript versions < 0:9.54.0-19.el9_8.3. Fixed in 0:9.54.0-19.el9_8.3. How to fix ↓
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Background
Ghostscript is an open-source suite of software that provides utilities for rendering PostScript and PDF documents. It is widely used for converting PostScript code into bitmap formats for display or printing. Given its extensive use in various applications, any vulnerabilities in Ghostscript can have significant implications for security and data integrity.
Vulnerability Detail
The Ghostscript suite has been found to contain critical vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to exploit the software. Specifically, there is a sandbox bypass vulnerability (CVE-2026-101258) that enables out-of-bounds writes through Type 5 shading and a use-after-free condition in the procedure stream. Additionally, a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability (CVE-2026-103226) exists in the pdfwrite component, which can be triggered by crafted font data. These vulnerabilities could lead to unauthorized access, data corruption, or system crashes.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
0:9.54.0-19.el9_8.3
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo dnf update ghostscriptTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, users can restrict the use of Ghostscript in environments where untrusted PostScript or PDF files are processed. This can help mitigate the risk of exploitation until the software is updated.
Conclusion
The vulnerabilities in Ghostscript pose significant risks to users and applications that rely on this software for rendering documents. It is crucial to update to the latest patched version to mitigate these risks. Users are also encouraged to explore Vulert for real-time monitoring of open-source vulnerabilities.
See every vulnerability recorded for ghostscript →
FAQ
Ghostscript is a suite of software that interprets PostScript and PDF files, allowing them to be rendered and printed.
The vulnerabilities include a sandbox bypass that allows out-of-bounds writes and a stack-based buffer overflow caused by crafted font data.
The vulnerabilities have a CVSS score of 7.8, indicating they are critical and could lead to significant security risks.
You can use Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without needing to sign up.
If immediate updates are not possible, consider restricting the use of Ghostscript in environments that handle untrusted files to reduce the risk of exploitation.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for ghostscript.
