# CVE-2018-16802: Code injection in n/a

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code via crafted PostScript files due to improper privilege restoration during stack overflow exceptions in Ghostscript.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 10 Sep 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2018-16802, DEBIAN-CVE-2018-16802, GHSA-r3qx-w5mm-cr27, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-16802

## What is CVE-2018-16802?

CVE-2018-16802 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Artifex Ghostscript, published on 10 Sep 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

An issue was discovered in Artifex Ghostscript before 9.25. Incorrect "restoration of privilege" checking when running out of stack during exception handling could be used by attackers able to supply crafted PostScript to execute code using the "pipe" instruction. This is due to an incomplete fix for CVE-2018-16509.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-16802?

It affects 9 products.


Products: Artifex Ghostscript, Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Tus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-16802?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2018-16802 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-16802 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Artifex Ghostscript

- [CVE-2017-8291](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8291/): Artifex Ghostscript Type Confusion (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-3781](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-3781/): Command injection in ghostscript (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2025-27831](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-27831/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-27832](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-27832/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-27836](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-27836/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-16802 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-16802 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Artifex Ghostscript, published on 10 Sep 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-16802 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Artifex Ghostscript. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16802/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16802/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-16802
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16802
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-16802

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16802/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.