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CVE-2018-16540

7.8 · HIGH

In Artifex Ghostscript before 9.24, attackers able to supply crafted PostScript files to the builtin PDF14 converter could use a use-after-free in copydevice handling to crash the interpreter or po…

Published Sep 5, 2018CWE-416EPSS 1.56%

Overview

CVE-2018-16540 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on September 5, 2018 and has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

Technical description

In Artifex Ghostscript before 9.24, attackers able to supply crafted PostScript files to the builtin PDF14 converter could use a use-after-free in copydevice handling to crash the interpreter or possibly have unspecified other impact.

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

References

Refgit.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=c432131c3fdb2143e148e8ba88555f7f7a63b25eRefaccess.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2019:0327Refaccess.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:0229Refbugs.ghostscript.com/show_bug.cgi?id=699661Reflists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/09/msg00015.htmlRefsecurity.gentoo.org/glsa/201811-12Refusn.ubuntu.com/3768-1/Refwww.artifex.com/news/ghostscript-security-resolved/Refwww.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4288Refgit.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=c432131c3fdb2143e148e8ba88555f7f7a63b25e

How CyberStrike helps

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-16540?

CVE-2018-16540 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on September 5, 2018 and has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2018-16540?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2018-16540?

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2018-16540?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2018-16540 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

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