CVE-2020-16293: artifex ghostscript NULL Pointer Dereference
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2020-16293 is a medium (CVSS 5.5) NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability in artifex ghostscript. EPSS estimates a 1.77% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 78% of scored vulnerabilities. 1 public exploit is recorded.
Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 5 · Related 1Timeline
- 13-08-2020PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 04-08-2024Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
A null pointer dereference vulnerability in compose_group_nonknockout_nonblend_isolated_allmask_common() in base/gxblend.c of Artifex Software GhostScript v9.50 allows a remote attacker to cause a denial of service via a crafted PDF file. This is fixed in v9.51.
CVSS metrics
5 scores · 4 sources · 2 versions- OSV · AlpineEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- OSV · DebianEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
EPSS trend
Probability
1.77%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
78%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
0.00 pp
From 1.77% on 21-09-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogsNot in any of the 3 tracked catalogs.
Public exploits
1 foundExploit Reference (bugs.ghostscript.com)
Maturity: unknown
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeAffected systems
Debian2 products
- ghostscript< 9.51~dfsg-1
- debian_linuxEOL9.0 | 10.0
Alpine1 product
- ghostscript< 9.51-r0
Artifex1 product
- ghostscript< 9.52
Canonical1 product
- ubuntu_linuxEOL16.04 | 18.04 | 20.04
Ubuntu1 product
- ghostscript< 9.26~dfsg+0-0ubuntu0.16.04.13 | < 9.26~dfsg+0-0ubuntu0.18.04.13 | < 9.50~dfsg-5ubuntu4.2
5 vendors · 6 products
References
11 links
lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/08/msg00032.htmlMailing ListX Refsource MLISTThird Party Advisory