CVE-2024-46955 is a vulnerability identified in the psi/zcolor.c component of Artifex Ghostscript versions prior to 10.04.0. The issue arises from an out-of-bounds read when processing colors in the Indexed color space, classified under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read). This flaw occurs because the code does not adequately validate the index used to access color data arrays, leading to reading memory beyond the intended buffer. The vulnerability can be triggered when a user opens or processes a crafted PostScript or PDF file that uses Indexed color spaces with maliciously crafted color indices. The CVSS 3.1 score is 5.5 (medium), with vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H, indicating local attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, user interaction needed, unchanged scope, no confidentiality or integrity impact, but high impact on availability due to potential application crashes or denial of service. No known exploits are reported in the wild as of now. The vulnerability primarily affects systems that use Ghostscript for document rendering, printing, or conversion, especially where untrusted documents might be processed. Since Ghostscript is widely used in open-source and commercial environments for PDF and PostScript handling, this vulnerability could be leveraged to disrupt services or crash applications processing malicious documents.

For European organizations, the primary impact is denial of service affecting document processing pipelines, print servers, or any automated workflows relying on Ghostscript. This could disrupt business operations, especially in sectors like government, finance, legal, and publishing, where document handling is critical. Although the vulnerability does not compromise data confidentiality or integrity, service interruptions could lead to operational delays and increased support costs. Organizations processing untrusted or user-submitted documents are at higher risk. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits remote exploitation, reducing the likelihood of widespread automated attacks. However, insider threats or targeted attacks could exploit this vulnerability to cause disruptions. Additionally, environments with automated document processing exposed to external inputs should be cautious. The lack of known exploits suggests limited immediate threat but does not preclude future exploitation attempts.

To mitigate CVE-2024-46955, organizations should upgrade to Artifex Ghostscript version 10.04.0 or later where the vulnerability is patched. Until patching is possible, restrict access to Ghostscript binaries to trusted users only and avoid processing untrusted or unauthenticated documents. Implement input validation and sandboxing around document processing workflows to limit the impact of malformed files. Monitor logs for application crashes or unusual behavior in document processing systems. Employ application whitelisting and privilege restrictions to reduce the risk of exploitation. For environments where Ghostscript is integrated into larger systems, ensure those systems are updated and hardened. Regularly review and update security policies related to document handling and user permissions. Additionally, consider isolating document processing services in containers or virtual machines to contain potential denial-of-service impacts.