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TI-2016-06704 Aliases CVE-2016-7978GHSA-jp8p-fj2v-5982

Use-after-free vulnerability in Ghostscript 9.20 might allow remote attackers to execute…

Priority MEDIUM 50CWE-416Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Code execution
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-416 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

Use-after-free vulnerability in Ghostscript 9.20 might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors related to a reference leak in .setdevice.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.05527 92nd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Red Hat: 1 advisory

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

Remediation

Red Hat 1 advisory

  • 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

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

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

ProductStatusPlan or 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 Server (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2017:0013
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2017:0013
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2017:0013
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2017:0013
Not affected: 3 products
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
  • Red Hat OpenShift Enterprise 2

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2016-7978
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-jp8p-fj2v-5982

References

Patch 2

Advisory 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