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TI-2016-06703 Aliases CVE-2016-7977GHSA-cvc4-qjwp-hwhc

Ghostscript before 9.21 might allow remote attackers to bypass the SAFER mode protection…

Priority LOW 32CWE-200Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Information disclosure
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · None · None
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 16 fixed, 2 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-200.

Summary

Ghostscript before 9.21 might allow remote attackers to bypass the SAFER mode protection mechanism and consequently read arbitrary files via the use of the .libfile operator in a crafted postscript document.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.04566 91st percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Red Hat: 2 advisoriesRed Hat: 16 fixed, 2 without a fix

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
——all versions—No fix listedCNA
  • — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:artifex:ghostscript:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*up to 9.20VulnerableArtifex
  • cpe:2.3:a:artifex:ghostscript:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 9.20 Vulnerable ·Artifex

Remediation

Red Hat 2 advisories

  • RHSA-2017:0013 Released 2017-01-04 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    ghostscript security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) ghostscript-9.07-20.el7_3.1, ghostscript-cups-9.07-20.el7_3.1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) ghostscript-devel-9.07-20.el7_3.1, ghostscript-doc-9.07-20.el7_3.1, ghostscript-gtk-9.07-20.el7_3.1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) ghostscript-9.07-20.el7_3.1, ghostscript-cups-9.07-20.el7_3.1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) ghostscript-devel-9.07-20.el7_3.1, ghostscript-doc-9.07-20.el7_3.1, ghostscript-gtk-9.07-20.el7_3.1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) ghostscript-9.07-20.el7_3.1, ghostscript-9.07-20.el7_3.1.ppc, ghostscript-cups-9.07-20.el7_3.1 +2
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) ghostscript-devel-9.07-20.el7_3.1, ghostscript-doc-9.07-20.el7_3.1, ghostscript-gtk-9.07-20.el7_3.1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) ghostscript-9.07-20.el7_3.1, ghostscript-cups-9.07-20.el7_3.1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) ghostscript-devel-9.07-20.el7_3.1, ghostscript-doc-9.07-20.el7_3.1, ghostscript-gtk-9.07-20.el7_3.1
  • RHSA-2017:0014 Released 2017-01-04 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    ghostscript security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) ghostscript-8.70-21.el6_8.1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) ghostscript-devel-8.70-21.el6_8.1, ghostscript-doc-8.70-21.el6_8.1, ghostscript-gtk-8.70-21.el6_8.1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6) ghostscript-8.70-21.el6_8.1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) ghostscript-devel-8.70-21.el6_8.1, ghostscript-doc-8.70-21.el6_8.1, ghostscript-gtk-8.70-21.el6_8.1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) ghostscript-8.70-21.el6_8.1, ghostscript-8.70-21.el6_8.1.ppc
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) ghostscript-devel-8.70-21.el6_8.1, ghostscript-devel-8.70-21.el6_8.1.ppc, ghostscript-doc-8.70-21.el6_8.1 +1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) ghostscript-8.70-21.el6_8.1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) ghostscript-devel-8.70-21.el6_8.1, ghostscript-doc-8.70-21.el6_8.1, ghostscript-gtk-8.70-21.el6_8.1

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5AffectedNo fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat OpenShift Enterprise 2AffectedNo fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2017:0013
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2017:0013
Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2017:0013
Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2017:0013
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2017:0014
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2017:0014
Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2017:0014
Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2017:0014
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2017:0014
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2017:0013
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2017:0014
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2017:0013
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2017:0014
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2017:0013
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2017:0014
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2017:0013

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2016-7977
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-cvc4-qjwp-hwhc

References

Patch 3

Advisory 4

Other 3

  • TI-2017-05861 Artifex Ghostscript through 2017-04-26 allows -dSAFER bypass and remote command execution… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
  • TI-2021-02712 Improper input validation in ghostscript CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.9
  • TI-2023-13382 In Artifex Ghostscript through 10.01.0, there is a buffer overflow leading to potential… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2018-11841 An issue was discovered in Artifex Ghostscript before 9.24. CVSS 3.0HIGH 7.8
  • TI-2024-19474 Artifex Ghostscript before 10.03.0 has a stack-based buffer overflow in the… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2020-14200 Buffer Overflow vulnerability in clj_media_size function in devices/gdevclj.c in Artifex… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
See all 128 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences