HIGH
xpdf: Insufficient sanitization of escape sequences in the error messages
Published Jan 9, 2020
7.8
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 2.94%
Description
The error function in Error.cc in poppler before 0.21.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a PDF containing an escape sequence for a terminal emulator.
Affected products
-
- Version before 0.21.4StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version
Configuration 1
- < 0.21.4
Configuration 2
- 3.02
Configuration 3
OR
- 5.0
- 6.0
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
poppler
Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
poppler
Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
poppler
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | poppler | Will not fix | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | poppler | Will not fix | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | poppler | Not affected | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
No remediation recorded yet.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
7.8 HIGH NVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack Vector Local
Attack Complexity Low
Privileges Required None
User Interaction Required
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality Impact High
Integrity Impact High
Availability Impact High
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
6.8 MEDIUM NVD
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Access Vector Network
Access Complexity Medium
Authentication None
Confidentiality Impact Partial
Integrity Impact Partial
Availability Impact Partial
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
2.94% 0.02942
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
EPSS probability 0.02942
Score over time
2022–2026- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (12 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 2.94% (0.02942) | 86.65th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 2.94% (0.02942) | 85.29th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Aug 20, 2025 | 1.33% (0.01333) | 79.15th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.25% (0.00247) | 46.09th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.32% (0.00320) | 71.44th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Feb 8, 2024 | 0.32% (0.00320) | 69.78th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| May 8, 2023 | 0.32% (0.00320) | 66.07th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.25% (0.00250) | 61.03th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.32% (0.01319) | 71.27th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 23, 2023 | 1.32% (0.01319) | 71.23th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.32% (0.01319) | 69.22th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.32% (0.01319) | 44.98th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
Weaknesses (0)
No CWE recorded.
References (9)
- http://cgit.freedesktop.org/poppler/poppler/commit/?id=71bad47ed6a36d825b0d08992c8db56845c71e40 x_refsource_MISCPatchVendor Advisory
- http://cgit.freedesktop.org/poppler/poppler/commit/NEWS?id=2bc48d5369f1dbecfc4db2878f33bdeb80d8d90f x_refsource_MISCPatchVendor Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2013-08/msg00049.html x_refsource_MISCMailing ListPatchThird Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/08/09/5 x_refsource_MISCExploitMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/08/09/6 x_refsource_MISCExploitMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2012-2142 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=789936 x_refsource_MISCIssue TrackingThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-2142
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-2142
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://cgit.freedesktop.org/poppler/poppler/commit/?id=71bad47ed6a36d825b0d08992c8db56845c71e40 | x_refsource_MISCPatchVendor Advisory | |
| http://cgit.freedesktop.org/poppler/poppler/commit/NEWS?id=2bc48d5369f1dbecfc4db2878f33bdeb80d8d90f | x_refsource_MISCPatchVendor Advisory | |
| http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2013-08/msg00049.html | x_refsource_MISCMailing ListPatchThird Party Advisory | |
| http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/08/09/5 | x_refsource_MISCExploitMailing ListThird Party Advisory | |
| http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/08/09/6 | x_refsource_MISCExploitMailing ListThird Party Advisory | |
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2012-2142 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=789936 | x_refsource_MISCIssue TrackingThird Party Advisory | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-2142 | ||
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-2142 |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.
Sources
CVE.org / MITRE
Status PUBLISHED
Assigner redhat
Published Jan 9, 2020
Updated Aug 6, 2024
Reserved Apr 4, 2012
Link CVE-2012-2142
CISA Vulnrichment
Updated n/a