# CVE-2018-17961: Security feature bypass in n/a

> Attackers can bypass Ghostscript sandbox protections via errorhandler setup, potentially enabling further exploitation.

- **Severity:** High 8.6 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/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:** 15 Oct 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2018-17961, DEBIAN-CVE-2018-17961, GHSA-6j45-cc69-5jv8, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-17961

## What is CVE-2018-17961?

CVE-2018-17961 is a high-severity vulnerability in Artifex Ghostscript, published on 15 Oct 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

Artifex Ghostscript 9.25 and earlier allows attackers to bypass a sandbox protection mechanism via vectors involving errorhandler setup. NOTE: this issue exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2018-17183.

Weakness: CWE-209 (Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-17961?

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-2018-17961?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2018-17961 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-17961 exists.

Public exploit code:

- https://github.com/matlink/CVE-2018-17961 (github_poc): https://github.com/matlink/CVE-2018-17961
- ghostscript - executeonly Bypass with errorhandler Setup (exploitdb)

## 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-2018-17961 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-17961 is a high-severity vulnerability in Artifex Ghostscript, published on 15 Oct 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: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-17961 exists.

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-2018-17961/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17961/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-17961
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-17961
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-17961

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17961/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.