ghostscript: -dSAFER escape in .charkeys (701841)
Published Nov 15, 2019
8.8
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 3.43%
Description
A flaw was found in all versions of ghostscript 9.x before 9.50, where the `.charkeys` procedure, where it did not properly secure its privileged calls, enabling scripts to bypass `-dSAFER` restrictions. An attacker could abuse this flaw by creating a specially crafted PostScript file that could escalate privileges within the Ghostscript and access files outside of restricted areas or execute commands.
Affected products
-
- Version all versions of ghostscript 9.x before 9.28StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghostscript | Ghostscript | n/a |
|
Configuration 1
- ≥ 9.00 · < 9.50
Configuration 2
- 29
- 30
- 31
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
ghostscript-0:9.25-2.el7_7.3
Fixed · RHSA-2019:3888
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
ghostscript-0:9.25-5.el8_1.1
Fixed · RHSA-2019:3890
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.0 Update Services for SAP Solutions
ghostscript-0:9.25-2.el8_0.4
Fixed · RHSA-2020:0222
Red Hat 3scale API Management Platform 2
ghostscript
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
ghostscript
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
ghostscript
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | ghostscript-0:9.25-2.el7_7.3 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:3888 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | ghostscript-0:9.25-5.el8_1.1 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:3890 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.0 Update Services for SAP Solutions | ghostscript-0:9.25-2.el8_0.4 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:0222 |
| Red Hat 3scale API Management Platform 2 | ghostscript | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | ghostscript | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | ghostscript | Not affected | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat mitigation
Please refer to the "Mitigation" section of CVE-2018-16509 : https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2018-16509
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 2, 2026.
Score over time
2021–2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (19 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2, 2026 | 3.43% (0.03434) | 88.57th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 3.43% (0.03434) | 87.38th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.50% (0.00503) | 64.02th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.64% (0.00636) | 79.82th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 10, 2024 | 0.44% (0.00441) | 74.28th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Feb 8, 2024 | 0.45% (0.00447) | 74.26th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Nov 8, 2023 | 0.45% (0.00447) | 72.11th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Oct 22, 2023 | 0.52% (0.00524) | 74.22th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Oct 6, 2023 | 0.46% (0.00458) | 72.43th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Sep 19, 2023 | 0.48% (0.00477) | 72.87th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.49% (0.00492) | 72.45th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.54% (0.01537) | 74.52th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 23, 2023 | 1.54% (0.01537) | 74.48th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.54% (0.01537) | 72.41th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 12.26% (0.12262) | 89.36th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 17.87% (0.17870) | 92.85th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 17.87% (0.17870) | 92.77th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 4.63% (0.04625) | 86.28th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 4.63% (0.04625) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (16)
- http://jvn.jp/en/jp/JVN52486659/index.html third-party-advisoryx_refsource_JVNThird Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-11/msg00049.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-11/msg00050.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/11/15/1 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0222 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2019-14869 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugs.ghostscript.com/show_bug.cgi?id=701841 x_refsource_CONFIRMPermissions Required
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1768911 Issue Tracking
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2019-14869 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git%3Ba=commitdiff%3Bh=485904772c5f x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/2Q4E3OTDAJRSUCOBTDQO7Y5UTE2FFMLF/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/HC4REO73BEJOJAU7NHFHJECAUAYJUE3H/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/IX55AEDERTDFEZAROKZW64MZRPLINEGI/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-14869
- https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Nov/27 mailing-listx_refsource_BUGTRAQIssue TrackingMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-14869
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.