Use-of-uninitialized-value in load_truetype_glyph in ghostscript
Summary
OSV-2020-1874: Use-of-uninitialized-value in load_truetype_glyph. Affects ghostscript versions >= 668917a10e7eada030f7d2dddec9f579fddeed3d, < 889df15d7c69e1fc90c6491f574352cacf9bc065. Fixed in 889df15d7c69e1fc90c6491f574352cacf9bc065. How to fix ↓
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Background
Ghostscript is an open-source interpreter for the PostScript language and the PDF file format. It is widely used for rendering and converting documents. The vulnerability in the load_truetype_glyph function of Ghostscript allows for the use of uninitialized values, leading to potential crashes or other undefined behavior.
Vulnerability Detail
The use-of-uninitialized-value vulnerability occurs in the load_truetype_glyph function of Ghostscript. This function is responsible for loading TrueType glyphs. By utilizing an uninitialized value, an attacker could trigger crashes or other unexpected behavior, potentially leading to a denial of service or the execution of arbitrary code.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
889df15d7c69e1fc90c6491f574352cacf9bc065
This is the first release that contains the fix.
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Workaround
If updating Ghostscript is not immediately feasible, a possible workaround is to avoid using the load_truetype_glyph function or any functionality that relies on it. By avoiding the use of this specific function, the vulnerability can be mitigated. However, it is still recommended to update to a patched version as soon as possible.
Conclusion
The use-of-uninitialized-value vulnerability in the load_truetype_glyph function of Ghostscript can lead to crashes or other unexpected behavior. It is important to update to a patched version of Ghostscript to mitigate this vulnerability. If immediate updating is not possible, avoiding the use of the affected function can provide a temporary workaround. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
Ghostscript is an open-source interpreter for the PostScript language and the PDF file format. It is commonly used for rendering and converting documents.
This vulnerability can lead to crashes or other undefined behavior in Ghostscript. It could potentially be exploited to cause a denial of service or execute arbitrary code.
To fix this vulnerability, update Ghostscript to a version that includes the fix. The commit 889df15d7c69e1fc90c6491f574352cacf9bc065 addresses this issue.
If updating Ghostscript is not immediately possible, you can mitigate the vulnerability by avoiding the use of the load_truetype_glyph function or any functionality that relies on it.
You can find more information about this vulnerability in the OSS-Fuzz report: https://bugs.chromium.org/p/oss-fuzz/issues/detail?id=22182
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for ghostscript.
