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TI-2016-06705 Aliases CVE-2016-7979GHSA-vwgm-gwqf-q8px

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

Priority MEDIUM 51CWE-704Published · 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
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-704 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

Ghostscript before 9.21 might allow remote attackers to bypass the SAFER mode protection mechanism and consequently execute arbitrary code by leveraging type confusion in .initialize_dsc_parser.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.06419 93rd 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-2016-7979
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-vwgm-gwqf-q8px

References

Patch 2

Advisory 4

Other 1

  • 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