CVE-2019-3838 Path traversal in ghostscript

High 7.3 Published 25 Mar 2019 Updated 4 Aug 2024

Attackers can bypass -dSAFER restrictions via crafted PostScript files to access or modify files outside intended directories.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Over the internet
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: Available

What is CVE-2019-3838?

CVE-2019-3838 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Artifex Ghostscript, published on 25 Mar 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

Official description

It was found that the forceput operator could be extracted from the DefineResource method in ghostscript before 9.27. A specially crafted PostScript file could use this flaw in order to, for example, have access to the file system outside of the constrains imposed by -dSAFER.

Weakness: CWE-648

Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-3838?

It affects 12 products.

Linux distribution packages (21)

`ghostscript` SUSE:Enterprise Storage 4	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP3	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 SP4	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15	All versions	`9.26a-3.15.1`
`ghostscript-library` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3	All versions	`8.62-47.16.1`
`ghostscript-library` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4-LTSS	All versions	`8.62-47.16.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP1-LTSS	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-BCL	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-LTSS	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12-LTSS	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP1	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP2	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP4	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP3	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP4	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 7	All versions	`9.26a-23.22.1`
`ghostscript` openSUSE:Leap 15.0	All versions	`9.26a-lp150.2.17.2`
`ghostscript-mini` openSUSE:Leap 15.0	All versions	`9.26a-lp150.2.17.2`

Products include Artifex Ghostscript, Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Opensuse Leap, Redhat Ansible Tower, Redhat Enterprise Linux and 6 more.

How do I fix CVE-2019-3838?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.

Is CVE-2019-3838 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-3838 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Artifex Ghostscript vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as ALPINE-CVE-2019-3838, DEBIAN-CVE-2019-3838, GHSA-wvh9-rmg8-crq6, SUSE-SU-2019:0718-1, SUSE-SU-2019:0719-1, SUSE-SU-2019:14155-1 and 2 more.