Artifex Ghostscript Type Confusion -dSAFER Bypass and Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2017-8291)
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTArtifex Ghostscript versions released through 2017-04-26, and image processing libraries (e.g., ImageMagick) relying on it
Remote attackers can bypass the '-dSAFER' sandbox restriction and execute arbitrary system commands via a crafted EPS document
Immediately upgrade Ghostscript to the patched version or disable PostScript/EPS processing in application policies
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Update Ghostscript to the latest patched version using your operating system's package manager.
# For Debian/Ubuntu-based systems
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade -y ghostscript
# For RedHat/CentOS-based systems
sudo yum update -y ghostscript2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If patching is not immediately possible, disable Ghostscript rendering for vulnerable formats in ImageMagick's policy.xml file.
# Open the ImageMagick policy configuration file
sudo nano /etc/ImageMagick-6/policy.xml
# Add the following lines inside the <policymap> block to disable vulnerable coders
# <policy domain='coder' rights='none' pattern='EPS' />
# <policy domain='coder' rights='none' pattern='PS' />
# <policy domain='coder' rights='none' pattern='PDF' />
# <policy domain='coder' rights='none' pattern='XPS' />3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Verify the installed Ghostscript version and scan system logs and upload directories for potential exploitation attempts.
# Check the current Ghostscript version
gs --version
# Scan web server logs and temporary directories for '%pipe%' and '.rsdparams' patterns
grep -rni '%%pipe%%' /var/log/nginx/ /var/log/apache2/ /tmp/ 2>/dev/null
find /var/www/ -type f -name '*.eps' -exec grep -qi 'rsdparams' {} \; -printBlock Kernel Privilege Escalation & Ransomware Payloads Before You Can Reboot
Protect unpatched Windows, Linux, and macOS workloads against in-memory exploitation and lateral movement with autonomous EDR.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2017-8291) is a critical type confusion vulnerability (CWE-843) in Artifex Ghostscript, a widely used PostScript and PDF interpreter. Ghostscript utilizes the '-dSAFER' parameter to restrict file system access and command execution. However, a flaw in how the interpreter handles the '.rsdparams' (ReusableStreamDecode parameters) object allows an attacker to confuse the data types of internal structures. This memory corruption bypasses the sandbox restrictions, enabling unauthorized system-level operations.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker exploits this vulnerability by crafting an Encapsulated PostScript (.eps) file containing a malicious payload with a '/OutputFile (%pipe%...' substring. When Ghostscript processes this file, the type confusion in '.rsdparams' disables the '-dSAFER' protection. The interpreter then processes the output stream using the '%pipe%' syntax, which redirects the output to the operating system shell, executing the embedded commands. This is highly critical for web applications that automatically process user-uploaded images using backend tools like ImageMagick.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
As a CISA KEV-listed vulnerability with an EPSS score of 0.9697, this flaw has been actively exploited in the wild. Successful exploitation grants the attacker arbitrary code execution under the privileges of the web server or application process. This can lead to full system compromise, lateral movement within the internal network, data exfiltration, and deployment of ransomware, posing severe operational and financial risks.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
Artifex Ghostscript through 2017-04-26 allows -dSAFER bypass and remote command execution via .rsdparams type confusion with a "/OutputFile (%pipe%" substring in a crafted .eps document that is an input to the gs program, as exploited in the wild in April 2017.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2017-8291)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2017-8291 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2017-8291 is rated CVSS 7.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 97.0%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2017-8291?
Primary impacted vendors include artifex across ghostscript. Scope summary: All Artifex Ghostscript versions released on or before April 26, 2017 (including version 9.21 and prior)
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2017-8291 before patching?
[Mitigation] Immediately upgrade Ghostscript to the patched version or disable PostScript/EPS processing in application policies Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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