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CVE-2025-59799: CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow in Artifex Ghostscript

Medium
VulnerabilityCVE-2025-59799cvecve-2025-59799cwe-121
Published: Mon Sep 22 2025 (09/22/2025, 00:00:00 UTC)
Source: CVE Database V5
Vendor/Project: Artifex
Product: Ghostscript

Description

Artifex Ghostscript through 10.05.1 has a stack-based buffer overflow in pdfmark_coerce_dest in devices/vector/gdevpdfm.c via a large size value.

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 09/22/2025, 03:32:06 UTC

Technical Analysis

CVE-2025-59799 is a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability found in Artifex Ghostscript versions up to and including 10.05.1. The flaw exists in the function pdfmark_coerce_dest located in the source file devices/vector/gdevpdfm.c. This vulnerability is triggered when processing a specially crafted PDF file containing a large size value that is mishandled by the vulnerable function, leading to a buffer overflow on the stack. Such a condition can corrupt adjacent memory, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Ghostscript process. Ghostscript is a widely used interpreter for PostScript and PDF files, often employed in document rendering, printing services, and PDF processing pipelines. The lack of a CVSS score indicates this is a newly published vulnerability with limited public information and no known exploits in the wild at the time of reporting. However, buffer overflows in a critical component like Ghostscript are typically severe due to the potential for remote code execution, especially if Ghostscript is used in automated or network-facing environments. The vulnerability requires a maliciously crafted PDF file to be processed by the vulnerable Ghostscript version, which could be delivered via email, web uploads, or other document ingestion methods. No authentication or user interaction beyond file processing is necessarily required, increasing the risk in environments where untrusted PDFs are handled automatically. As of now, no patches or mitigation details have been published, so affected organizations must monitor vendor advisories closely. Given the nature of the flaw, exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data theft, or disruption of document processing services.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-59799 could be significant, especially for sectors relying heavily on document workflows such as government agencies, financial institutions, legal firms, and publishing houses. Ghostscript is often integrated into print servers, document management systems, and web applications that convert or render PDFs. An exploited buffer overflow could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, leading to unauthorized access, data breaches, or disruption of critical services. This is particularly concerning for organizations processing large volumes of PDFs from external or untrusted sources, such as public-facing web portals or email gateways. The vulnerability could be leveraged to deploy malware, ransomware, or establish persistent footholds within networks. Additionally, the potential for supply chain impact exists if Ghostscript is embedded within third-party software used by European enterprises. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the risk of future exploitation remains high given the severity of stack-based buffer overflows in widely deployed software.

Mitigation Recommendations

Until official patches are released, European organizations should implement several targeted mitigations: 1) Restrict or block the processing of untrusted PDF files by Ghostscript, especially from external sources. 2) Employ network and email security controls to filter and quarantine suspicious PDFs before they reach document processing systems. 3) Isolate Ghostscript processing environments using sandboxing or containerization to limit the impact of potential exploitation. 4) Monitor logs and system behavior for anomalies indicative of exploitation attempts, such as crashes or unusual process activity related to Ghostscript. 5) Where possible, upgrade to newer versions of Ghostscript that do not contain this vulnerability once available. 6) Coordinate with software vendors and service providers to ensure timely patching and updates. 7) Implement strict access controls and least privilege principles for systems running Ghostscript to reduce the potential damage from a successful attack. 8) Conduct internal audits to identify all instances of Ghostscript usage within the organization to ensure comprehensive coverage of mitigation efforts.

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Technical Details

Data Version
5.1
Assigner Short Name
mitre
Date Reserved
2025-09-22T00:00:00.000Z
Cvss Version
null
State
PUBLISHED

Threat ID: 68d0bf8cb68a0c387d44cdf3

Added to database: 9/22/2025, 3:16:28 AM

Last enriched: 9/22/2025, 3:32:06 AM

Last updated: 9/26/2025, 4:13:48 AM

Views: 29

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