CVE-2016-10217 in Ghostscript
Summary
by MITRE
The pdf14_open function in base/gdevp14.c in Artifex Software, Inc. Ghostscript 9.20 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (use-after-free and application crash) via a crafted file that is mishandled in the color management module.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10217 represents a critical use-after-free condition within the Ghostscript PDF rendering engine, specifically affecting version 9.20 released by Artifex Software Inc. This flaw exists within the pdf14_open function located in the base/gdevp14.c source file, which forms part of the color management module responsible for handling PDF document rendering operations. The vulnerability manifests when processing specially crafted PDF files that exploit improper memory management practices during the initialization of color management components, creating a scenario where freed memory locations are accessed subsequent to their deallocation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of PDF color space definitions and associated color management data structures. When Ghostscript encounters a malformed PDF file containing crafted color management directives, the pdf14_open function fails to properly validate input parameters before attempting to allocate and subsequently free memory resources. This improper sequence allows attackers to control the memory layout and potentially manipulate the freed memory before it is accessed again, leading to unpredictable behavior including application crashes, memory corruption, or in some cases, potential code execution. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-416 as a use-after-free condition, which represents a common class of memory safety issues that can be leveraged for privilege escalation or system compromise.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to organizations relying on Ghostscript for PDF processing, document conversion, or print management services. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this flaw without requiring physical access to systems, making it particularly dangerous in web-facing applications, document processing pipelines, or email filtering systems that automatically process PDF attachments. The denial of service impact can effectively render PDF processing services unavailable, disrupting business operations and potentially enabling attackers to perform reconnaissance activities by observing system behavior patterns. The vulnerability affects the core rendering capabilities of Ghostscript, meaning that any application or service utilizing this library for PDF handling could be compromised, including web applications, enterprise document management systems, and security tools that depend on Ghostscript for PDF analysis.
Security mitigations for CVE-2016-10217 primarily involve immediate patching of affected Ghostscript installations to version 9.21 or later, which contains the necessary memory management fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation measures for PDF files, particularly in environments where untrusted documents are processed, and consider deploying sandboxing mechanisms to isolate PDF processing operations. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of systems running Ghostscript to untrusted users. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual application crashes or memory access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, as it represents a classic remote code execution vector that can be leveraged to compromise system availability and potentially escalate privileges. Regular vulnerability assessments and security updates should be prioritized to prevent similar memory safety issues, as use-after-free conditions often indicate broader architectural weaknesses in memory management practices that may be present in other components of the software stack.