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CVE-2016-7977

Status: ModifiedMedium (5.5)—

Ghostscript before 9.21 might allow remote attackers to bypass the SAFER mode protection mechanism and consequently read arbitrary files via the use of the .libfile operator in a crafted postscript document.

CVSS

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

Affected technologies (1)

Artifex — Ghostscript

CWEs

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

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{
  "id": "CVE-2016-7977",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV2": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "2.0",
          "baseScore": 4.3,
          "accessVector": "NETWORK",
          "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N",
          "authentication": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "NONE",
          "accessComplexity": "MEDIUM",
          "availabilityImpact": "NONE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "PARTIAL"
        },
        "acInsufInfo": false,
        "impactScore": 2.9,
        "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
        "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
        "exploitabilityScore": 8.6,
        "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
        "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
        "userInteractionRequired": true
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV30": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.0",
          "baseScore": 5.5,
          "attackVector": "LOCAL",
          "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N",
          "integrityImpact": "NONE",
          "userInteraction": "REQUIRED",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "NONE",
          "privilegesRequired": "NONE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "impactScore": 3.6,
        "exploitabilityScore": 1.8
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "cve@mitre.org",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "product": "n/a",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "n/a"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2017-05-23T04:29:01.523",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git%3Ba=commitdiff%3Bh=8abd22010eb4db0fb1b10e430d5f5d83e015ef70",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0013.html",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0014.html",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3691",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/29/28",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Patch"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/10/05/15",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Patch"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujan2018-3236628.html",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95334",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugs.ghostscript.com/show_bug.cgi?id=697169",
      "tags": [
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Patch"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://ghostscript.com/doc/9.21/History9.htm",
      "tags": [
        "Release Notes"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201702-31",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git%3Ba=commitdiff%3Bh=8abd22010eb4db0fb1b10e430d5f5d83e015ef70",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0013.html",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0014.html",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3691",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/29/28",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Patch"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/10/05/15",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Patch"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujan2018-3236628.html",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95334",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugs.ghostscript.com/show_bug.cgi?id=697169",
      "tags": [
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Patch"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://ghostscript.com/doc/9.21/History9.htm",
      "tags": [
        "Release Notes"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201702-31",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-200"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "Ghostscript before 9.21 might allow remote attackers to bypass the SAFER mode protection mechanism and consequently read arbitrary files via the use of the .libfile operator in a crafted postscript document."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "Ghostscript anterior a la versión 9.21 podría permitir que los atacantes remotos eludieran el mecanismo de protección del modo SAFER y, en consecuencia, leyeran archivos arbitrarios mediante el uso del operador .libfile en un documento Postscript manipulado."
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T00:53:52.410",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:artifex:ghostscript:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "9E3E6A8E-786F-4796-A27F-88FFCA10CBCC",
              "versionEndIncluding": "9.20"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "cve@mitre.org"
}