# CVE-2021-45949: Memory corruption in n/a

> A heap-based buffer overflow in Ghostscript allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service via crafted files.

- **Severity:** Low 3.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 31 Dec 2021
- **Updated:** 8 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2021-45949, GHSA-r647-qm87-j9pc, UBUNTU-CVE-2021-45949

## What is CVE-2021-45949?

CVE-2021-45949 is a low-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Artifex Ghostscript, published on 31 Dec 2021. 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

Ghostscript GhostPDL 9.50 through 9.54.0 has a heap-based buffer overflow in sampled_data_finish (called from sampled_data_continue and interp).

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-45949?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Artifex Ghostscript, Debian Debian Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-45949?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2021-45949 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-45949 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-2021-45949 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-45949 is a low-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Artifex Ghostscript, published on 31 Dec 2021. 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-2021-45949 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-2021-45949/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-45949/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-45949
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-45949
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-45949

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-45949/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.