HIGH
CVE-2018-15911
CWE-908Published: August 28, 2018· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
7.8
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
In Artifex Ghostscript 9.23 before 2018-08-24, attackers able to supply crafted PostScript could use uninitialized memory access in the aesdecode operator to crash the interpreter or potentially execute code.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2018-15911 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.
A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Affected Vendors & Products
artifex2 product(s)
ghostscriptgpl ghostscript
Canonical1 product(s)
ubuntu linux
Debian1 product(s)
debian linux
pulsesecure1 product(s)
pulse connect secure
Red Hat6 product(s)
enterprise linux desktopenterprise linux serverenterprise linux server ausenterprise linux server eusenterprise linux server tusenterprise linux workstation
Source: NVD CPE · 14 total CPE entries
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.
Official Patches & Advisories
ADVISORYhttps://usn.ubuntu.com/3768-1/
ADVISORYhttps://usn.ubuntu.com/3768-1/
All References (22)
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105122Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3834Third Party Advisory
→
https://bugs.ghostscript.com/show_bug.cgi?id=699665Permissions Required · Vendor Advisory
→
https://kb.pulsesecure.net/articles/Pulse_Security_Advisories/SA44101Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/09/msg00015.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201811-12Third Party Advisory
→
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3768-1/Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4288Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/332928Patch · Third Party Advisory · US Government Resource
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105122Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3834Third Party Advisory
→
https://bugs.ghostscript.com/show_bug.cgi?id=699665Permissions Required · Vendor Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2018-15911
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-908
CISA KEVNo
Affected5 vendor(s)
PublishedAug 28, 2018
Related CVEs (CWE-908)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2018-15911 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.