Description
An issue was discovered in Artifex Ghostscript before 9.24. The .setdistillerkeys PostScript command is accepted even though it is not intended for use during document processing (e.g., after the startup phase). This leads to memory corruption, allowing remote attackers able to supply crafted PostScript to crash the interpreter or possibly have unspecified other impact. Note: A reputable source believes that the CVE is potentially a duplicate of CVE-2018-15910 as explained in Red Hat bugzilla (https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1626193)
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | ghostscript | 9.25~dfsg-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | ghostscript | 9.25~dfsg-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | ghostscript | 9.25~dfsg-1 | — |
| Debian 9 | ghostscript | 9.20~dfsg-3.2+deb9u4 | DSA-4288-1 |
| Debian 8 | ghostscript | 9.06~dfsg-2+deb8u8 | DLA-1504-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | ghostscript | 9.22~dfsg+1-0ubuntu1.2 | USN-3768-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | ghostscript | 9.18~dfsg~0-0ubuntu2.9 | USN-3768-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | ghostscript | 9.10~dfsg-0ubuntu10.13 | USN-3768-1 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 | ghostscript | 9.25-3.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2018:2976-1 |
| SLES 15 | libspectre | 0.2.8-3.2.1 | SUSE-SU-2018:2976-1 |
| SLES 12 SP3 | ghostscript | 9.25-23.13.1 | SUSE-SU-2018:2975-1 |
| SLES 12 SP2 | ghostscript | 9.25-23.13.1 | SUSE-SU-2018:2975-2, SUSE-SU-2018:2975-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | ghostscript | 9.25-23.13.1 | SUSE-SU-2018:2975-1 |
| SLES 12 | ghostscript | 9.25-23.13.1 | SUSE-SU-2018:2975-1 |
Show 5 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 12 SP3 | ghostscript | 9.25-23.13.1 | SUSE-SU-2018:2975-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP2 | ghostscript | 9.25-23.13.1 | SUSE-SU-2018:2975-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | ghostscript | 9.25-23.13.1 | SUSE-SU-2018:2975-3 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 7 | ghostscript | 9.25-23.13.1 | SUSE-SU-2018:2975-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 4 | ghostscript | 9.25-23.13.1 | SUSE-SU-2018:2975-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | ghostscript | 9.54.0-2.2 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10783-1 |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2 | ghostscript +4 | 9.06-8.amzn2.0.5 | ALAS2-2018-1088 |
Advisories 9
- USN-3768-1 ghostscript vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- DSA-4288-1 ghostscript - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DLA-1504-1 ghostscript - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10783-1 ghostscript-9.54.0-2.2 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2018:2976-1 Security update for ghostscript SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2018:2975-3 Security update for ghostscript SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2018:2975-2 Security update for ghostscript SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2018:2975-1 Security update for ghostscript SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025
- ALAS2-2018-1088 Important: ghostscript security update (Amazon Linux 2) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Oct 10, 2018
References
- GLSA-201811-12 vendor-advisory
- USN-3768-1 vendor-advisory
- http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git%3Ba=commitdiff%3Bh=1497d65039885a52b598b137dd8622bd4672f9be
- DSA-4288 vendor-advisory
- [debian-lts-announce] 20180913 [SECURITY] [DLA 1504-1] ghostscript security update mailing-list
- http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git%3Ba=commitdiff%3Bh=971472c83a345a16dac9f90f91258bb22dd77f22
- https://seclists.org/oss-sec/2018/q3/182
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1626193