CVE-2018-16509 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies
Discover the impact of CVE-2018-16509, a vulnerability in Artifex Ghostscript versions before 9.24. Learn about the exploitation mechanism and mitigation steps to secure your systems.
A vulnerability has been detected in Artifex Ghostscript versions prior to 9.24. Flawed verification of "restoration of privilege" when dealing with /invalidaccess exceptions could potentially be exploited by malicious individuals who are able to provide manipulated PostScript code. This could lead to the execution of unauthorized code by utilizing the "pipe" instruction.
Understanding CVE-2018-16509
What is CVE-2018-16509?
An issue was discovered in Artifex Ghostscript before 9.24. Incorrect "restoration of privilege" checking during handling of /invalidaccess exceptions could be used by attackers able to supply crafted PostScript to execute code using the "pipe" instruction.
The Impact of CVE-2018-16509
This vulnerability could allow malicious actors to execute unauthorized code by exploiting the flawed verification of "restoration of privilege" in Artifex Ghostscript versions prior to 9.24.
Technical Details of CVE-2018-16509
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability arises from incorrect "restoration of privilege" checking during the handling of /invalidaccess exceptions in Artifex Ghostscript versions before 9.24.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: Artifex Ghostscript
- Vendor: Artifex
- Versions Affected: Prior to 9.24
Exploitation Mechanism
Malicious individuals can exploit this vulnerability by providing manipulated PostScript code, allowing them to execute unauthorized code using the "pipe" instruction.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update Artifex Ghostscript to version 9.24 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
- Avoid opening untrusted PostScript files or documents.
- Monitor vendor advisories and security sources for patches and updates.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update software and apply security patches promptly.
- Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.
Patching and Updates
- Apply patches and updates provided by Artifex to address the vulnerability in Ghostscript versions prior to 9.24.