Description
In Artifex Ghostscript through 9.26, ephemeral or transient procedures can allow access to system operators, leading to remote code execution.
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 | 9.26a~dfsg-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | ghostscript | 9.26a~dfsg-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | ghostscript | 9.26a~dfsg-1 | — |
| Debian 9 | ghostscript | 9.26a~dfsg-0+deb9u1 | DSA-4372-1 |
| Debian 8 | ghostscript | 9.26a~dfsg-0+deb8u1 | DLA-1670-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | ghostscript | 9.26~dfsg+0-0ubuntu0.18.04.4 | USN-3866-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | ghostscript | 9.26~dfsg+0-0ubuntu0.16.04.4 | USN-3866-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | ghostscript | 9.26~dfsg+0-0ubuntu0.14.04.4 | USN-3866-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 7 | ghostscript +4 | 9.07-31.el7_6.9 | RHSA-2019:0229 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 | ghostscript | 9.26a-3.12.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0145-1 |
| SLES 15 | libspectre | 0.2.8-3.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0145-1 |
| SLES 12 SP4 | ghostscript | 9.26a-23.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES 12 SP4 | libspectre | 0.2.7-12.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES 12 SP3 | ghostscript | 9.26a-23.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES 12 SP3 | libspectre | 0.2.7-12.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES 12 SP2 | ghostscript | 9.26a-23.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES 12 SP2 | libspectre | 0.2.7-12.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | ghostscript | 9.26a-23.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | libspectre | 0.2.7-12.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
Show 7 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 | ghostscript | 9.26a-23.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES 12 | libspectre | 0.2.7-12.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP4 | ghostscript | 9.26a-23.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP4 | libspectre | 0.2.7-12.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP3 | ghostscript | 9.26a-23.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP3 | libspectre | 0.2.7-12.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP2 | ghostscript | 9.26a-23.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP2 | libspectre | 0.2.7-12.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | ghostscript | 9.26a-23.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-2 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | libspectre | 0.2.7-12.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-2 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 7 | ghostscript | 9.26a-23.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 7 | libspectre | 0.2.7-12.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 4 | ghostscript | 9.26a-23.19.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 4 | libspectre | 0.2.7-12.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2019:0144-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | ghostscript | 9.54.0-2.2 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10783-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.0 | ghostscript +1 | 9.26a-lp150.2.12.1 | openSUSE-SU-2019:0104-1 |
Alpine
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.24 | ghostscript | 9.26-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.23 | ghostscript | 9.26-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.22 | ghostscript | 9.26-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.21 | ghostscript | 9.26-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.20 | ghostscript | 9.26-r1 | — |
Show 14 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.19 | ghostscript | 9.26-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.18 | ghostscript | 9.26-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.17 | ghostscript | 9.26-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.16 | ghostscript | 9.26-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.15 | ghostscript | 9.26-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.14 | ghostscript | 9.26-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.13 | ghostscript | 9.26-r1 | — |
| Alpine v3.12 | ghostscript | 9.26-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.11 | ghostscript | 9.26-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.10 | ghostscript | 9.26-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.9 | ghostscript | 9.26-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.8 | ghostscript | 9.26-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.7 | ghostscript | 9.26-r2 | — |
| Alpine v3.6 | ghostscript | 9.26-r2 | — |
Amazon Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Linux 2 | libgs +5 | 9.25-5.amzn2 | ALAS2-2021-1598 |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 7 | ghostscript +4 | 9.07-31.el7_6.9 | ELSA-2019-0229 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 1
- Ghostscript 9.26 - Pseudo-Operator Remote Code Execution EDB-46242 · remote · Jan 24, 2019 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 11
- RHSA-2019:0229 Red Hat Security Advisory: ghostscript security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- USN-3866-1 ghostscript vulnerability Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- DSA-4372-1 ghostscript - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DLA-1670-1 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-2019:0144-1 Security update for ghostscript SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2019:0145-1 Security update for ghostscript SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2019:0104-1 Security update for ghostscript SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2019:0144-2 Security update for ghostscript SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- ALAS2-2021-1598 Important: ghostscript security update (Amazon Linux 2) Amazon Linux Security Center (ALAS) · Feb 19, 2021
- ELSA-2019-0229 Important: ghostscript security and bug fix update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Jan 31, 2019
References
- RHSA-2019:0229 vendor-advisory
- 106700 vdb-entry
- USN-3866-1 vendor-advisory
- 46242 exploit
- [debian-lts-announce] 20190211 [SECURITY] [DLA 1670-1] ghostscript security update mailing-list
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/151307/Ghostscript-Pseudo-Operator-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- DSA-4372 vendor-advisory
- https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detail?id=1729
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-01/msg00047.html
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-01/msg00048.html
- [oss-security] 29190123 ghostscript: subroutines within pseudo-operators must themselves be pseudo-operators mailing-list
- https://bugs.ghostscript.com/show_bug.cgi?id=700317
- FEDORA-2019-7b9bb0e426 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2019-15d57af79a vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20190321 ghostscript: 2 -dSAFER bypass: CVE-2019-3835 & CVE-2019-3838 mailing-list
- FEDORA-2019-9f06aa44f6 vendor-advisory
- 20190402 [slackware-security] ghostscript (SSA:2019-092-01) mailing-list
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/152367/Slackware-Security-Advisory-ghostscript-Updates.html
- RHBA-2019:0327 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2019-953fc0f16d vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2019-ebd6c4f15a vendor-advisory
- GLSA-202004-03 vendor-advisory