CVE-2024-33869 is a path traversal and command execution vulnerability discovered in Artifex Ghostscript versions prior to 10.03.1. The issue arises from improper path reduction logic in the source file base/gpmisc.c, which fails to correctly sanitize and restrict the use of special file path components such as '..' and the %pipe% operator. Specifically, crafted PostScript documents can exploit this flaw by embedding sequences like aa/../%pipe%command# in output filenames, effectively bypassing intended restrictions on %pipe% usage. This allows an attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the host system when the PostScript file is processed. The vulnerability requires local access and user interaction to trigger, as the malicious PostScript document must be opened or processed by the user. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.3 (medium), reflecting limited impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and no privileges required. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-22 (Path Traversal), indicating that the root cause is insufficient validation of file path inputs. No public exploits or patches have been reported at the time of publication, but the issue poses a risk to environments where Ghostscript processes untrusted or user-supplied PostScript files.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-33869 is the potential for local command execution via crafted PostScript documents, which can compromise system integrity and availability. Confidentiality impact is limited but possible if commands allow access to sensitive data. Since exploitation requires local access and user interaction, remote exploitation is unlikely without additional attack vectors. Organizations running Ghostscript in environments that process untrusted PostScript files—such as print servers, document processing pipelines, or embedded systems—may face risks of unauthorized command execution, leading to system compromise or disruption. The medium severity score reflects that while the vulnerability is serious, it is not trivially exploitable remotely and requires user involvement. However, in high-security environments or those with automated document processing, the risk is elevated. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate future risk once exploit code becomes available.

To mitigate CVE-2024-33869, organizations should: 1) Upgrade Ghostscript to version 10.03.1 or later once available, as the fix addresses the path traversal and command execution flaw. 2) Until patches are applied, restrict processing of untrusted PostScript files by implementing strict input validation and sandboxing of Ghostscript processes to limit command execution capabilities. 3) Employ application whitelisting and least privilege principles to reduce the impact of potential command execution. 4) Monitor logs for unusual Ghostscript activity or unexpected command executions. 5) If possible, disable or restrict the use of %pipe% functionality in Ghostscript configurations to prevent command injection vectors. 6) Educate users about the risks of opening untrusted PostScript documents and enforce policies to avoid processing files from unknown sources. 7) Consider deploying Ghostscript in isolated environments or containers to contain potential exploitation effects.