CVE-2010-1869 in Gpl Ghostscript
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the parser function in GhostScript 8.70 and 8.64 allows context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted PostScript file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-1869 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the GhostScript postscript parser function affecting versions 8.70 and 8.64. This vulnerability resides in the core parsing mechanism that processes postscript files, making it a fundamental security weakness in the document processing pipeline. The flaw enables context-dependent attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code through the careful crafting of malicious postscript files that exploit the buffer overflow condition. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, which occurs when data is written beyond the bounds of a fixed-length stack buffer, potentially corrupting adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the parser's failure to properly validate input data lengths before copying data into fixed-size stack buffers. When processing maliciously crafted postscript files, the parser function does not adequately check the size of incoming data against buffer boundaries, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent stack memory. This overflow can potentially overwrite the return address of the function, enabling attackers to redirect execution flow to malicious code injected into the buffer. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-787, out-of-bounds write, where the parser function writes data beyond the boundaries of allocated memory regions. The attack vector requires the victim to process a specially crafted postscript file, making this a user interaction dependent vulnerability that can be exploited through social engineering or automated delivery mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-1869 extends beyond simple code execution, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise when attackers leverage this vulnerability in conjunction with other attack techniques. The vulnerability affects any system running affected GhostScript versions and processing postscript documents, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where document processing is common. Attackers can potentially use this vulnerability to escalate privileges, install backdoors, or establish persistent access to compromised systems. The vulnerability's presence in the parser function means that any application or service that relies on GhostScript for postscript processing is at risk, including web applications, document management systems, and print servers. This makes the attack surface particularly broad and the potential damage significant in environments where postscript files are frequently processed or transmitted.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-1869 should prioritize immediate patching of affected GhostScript installations to versions that contain the necessary buffer overflow protections and input validation improvements. Organizations should implement strict file validation policies that scan and filter postscript files before processing, particularly when these files originate from untrusted sources. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can help reduce the attack surface by limiting which systems can process postscript files. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual file processing patterns and potential exploitation attempts through log analysis of GhostScript usage. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter indicates that exploitation may involve command execution through postscript language features, requiring defensive measures against potentially malicious command injection patterns. System administrators should also consider implementing sandboxing mechanisms for postscript processing to contain potential exploitation attempts and prevent lateral movement within compromised environments.