# CVE-2018-5158: Malicious PDF can inject JavaScript into PDF Viewer

> Attackers can execute arbitrary JavaScript with PDF viewer permissions via crafted PDFs due to insufficient sanitization of PostScript functions.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/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:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Jun 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2018-5158, GHSA-7jg2-jgv3-fmr4, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-5158

## What is CVE-2018-5158?

CVE-2018-5158 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 11 Jun 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The PDF viewer does not sufficiently sanitize PostScript calculator functions, allowing malicious JavaScript to be injected through a crafted PDF file. This JavaScript can then be run with the permissions of the PDF viewer by its worker. This vulnerability affects Firefox ESR < 52.8 and Firefox < 60.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-5158?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including pdfjs-dist. It affects 9 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `pdfjs-dist` | npm | All versions | 1.10.100 |
| `pdfjs-dist` | npm | All versions | 1.10.100 |
| `pdfjs-dist` | npm | From 2.0.0 | 2.0.550 |
| `pdfjs-dist` | npm | From 2.0.0 | 2.0.550 |

Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Mozilla Firefox, 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-2018-5158?

Upgrade pdfjs-dist to a fixed version for your release line: 1.10.100 or 2.0.550.

## Is CVE-2018-5158 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-5158 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- a simple PDF file for CVE-2018-5158 (github_poc): https://github.com/puzzle-tools/-CVE-2018-5158.pdf

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-5158 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-5158 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 11 Jun 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-5158 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- pdfjs-dist (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 1.10.100
- pdfjs-dist (npm): affected all versions; fixed in 1.10.100
- pdfjs-dist (npm): affected from 2.0.0; fixed in 2.0.550
- pdfjs-dist (npm): affected from 2.0.0; fixed in 2.0.550

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-2018-5158/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-5158/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-5158
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-5158
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-5158

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-5158/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.