Critical Ghostscript Vulnerability: Denial of Service and Path Validation Bypass
Summary
USN-7473-1: ghostscript vulnerability. Affects ghostscript versions < 10.02.1~dfsg1-0ubuntu7.6. Fixed in 10.02.1~dfsg1-0ubuntu7.6. 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 and rendering documents in various formats. The package is essential for applications that require document manipulation, conversion, and printing. However, a recent vulnerability has been discovered that affects its ability to handle certain PostScript files securely.
Vulnerability Detail
It was discovered that Ghostscript incorrectly handled parsing certain PS files. This flaw could allow an attacker to exploit the vulnerability, leading to a crash of the Ghostscript application, resulting in a denial of service. Additionally, there is a potential risk of bypassing file path validation, which could expose sensitive files or data to unauthorized access. The vulnerability is identified as CVE-2025-46646.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
10.02.1~dfsg1-0ubuntu7.6
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade ghostscriptTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary workaround, users are advised to avoid processing untrusted PostScript files until the update is applied. This can help mitigate the risk of exploitation until the vulnerability is resolved.
Conclusion
The Ghostscript vulnerability poses significant risks, including denial of service and potential unauthorized access to files. It is crucial for users to update to the latest version to protect their systems. Utilizing tools like Vulert can help monitor and alert for such vulnerabilities in real-time.
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FAQ
Ghostscript is an interpreter for the PostScript language and PDF, used for rendering and processing documents.
The vulnerability affects Ghostscript's ability to parse certain PostScript files, leading to potential crashes and security risks.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without any signup.
If you cannot update immediately, avoid processing untrusted PostScript files to mitigate the risk.
More information can be found in the Ubuntu Security Notices at https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices/blob/main/osv/usn/USN-7473-1.json.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for ghostscript.
