CVE-2023-36664
Published: 25 June 2023
Summary
CVE-2023-36664 is a high-severity Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties (CWE-552) vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 8.7% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
Artifex Ghostscript through version 10.01.2 contains a vulnerability that stems from improper permission validation when handling pipe devices, which can be referenced using the %pipe% prefix or the | pipe character prefix. The affected component is the Ghostscript interpreter itself, which processes PostScript and PDF files and is commonly integrated into document viewers, printers, and conversion tools.
An attacker can exploit the flaw by supplying a specially crafted input file that triggers pipe device access. Because the CVSS vector indicates local access, low attack complexity, no privileges required, and user interaction, a victim must open the malicious file on their system; successful exploitation grants the attacker full control over confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected host.
Upstream fixes appear in commits to the Ghostscript repository that restore proper permission checks for pipe devices, and distribution advisories such as those issued by Fedora provide updated packages that resolve the issue. The associated EPSS scores have remained low, with a current value of 0.0643 and a peak of 0.0767.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-40608
Vulnerability details
Artifex Ghostscript through 10.01.2 mishandles permission validation for pipe devices (with the %pipe% prefix or the | pipe character prefix).
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Controls on authorized publication limit files and directories with nonpublic data from becoming accessible to external parties.
Controlling and documenting P2P file sharing prevents files and directories from being made accessible to external parties for unauthorized distribution.
Identifying and documenting file and directory locations allows restriction of access to external parties.
Protecting backup files ensures they are not accessible to external parties or unauthorized spheres.
Sanitizing equipment before off-site maintenance reduces the risk of files or directories containing sensitive data becoming accessible to external parties.
Policy restricts media access to authorized parties only, preventing exposure of resources to external or unauthorized actors.
Media access restrictions prevent files or directories from being accessible to external parties.
Employing and evaluating controls at documented alternate sites makes files and directories less likely to be accessible to external parties through physical or environmental weaknesses.