---
title: "CVE-2009-4270\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2009-4270?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2009-4270

Publication date 21 December 2009

Last updated 24 July 2024

---

Ubuntu priority

**Low**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

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## Description

Stack-based buffer overflow in the errprintf function in base/gsmisc.c in
ghostscript 8.64 through 8.70 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of
service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted PDF file,
as originally reported for debug logging code in gdevcups.c in the CUPS
output driver.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2009-4270?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ghostscript | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not affected |
| 9.10 karmic | Fixed 8.70.dfsg.1-0ubuntu3.1 |
| 9.04 jaunty | Fixed 8.64.dfsg.1-0ubuntu8.1 |
| 8.10 intrepid | Ignored end of life, was needed |
| 8.04 LTS hardy | Not affected |
| 6.06 LTS dapper | Not in release |
| gs-afpl | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release |
| 9.10 karmic | Not in release |
| 9.04 jaunty | Not in release |
| 8.10 intrepid | Not in release |
| 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release |
| 6.06 LTS dapper | Ignored end of life |
| gs-esp | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release |
| 9.10 karmic | Not in release |
| 9.04 jaunty | Not in release |
| 8.10 intrepid | Not in release |
| 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release |
| 6.06 LTS dapper | Not affected |
| gs-gpl | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release |
| 9.10 karmic | Not in release |
| 9.04 jaunty | Not in release |
| 8.10 intrepid | Not in release |
| 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release |
| 6.06 LTS dapper | Ignored end of life |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2009-4270?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

### [mdeslaur](https://launchpad.net/~mdeslaur)

Jaunty and over are a DoS because of FORTIFY\_SOURCE
dapper and hardy have the vulnerable code in gsmisc.c, but it's
not called from cups\_put\_params() in gdevcups.c.

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| ghostscript | * Upstream:   <http://bugs.ghostscript.com/attachment.cgi?id=5827> * Upstream:   <http://svn.ghostscript.com/viewvc?view=rev&revision=10568> * Vendor:   <http://cvs.fedoraproject.org/viewvc/F-12/ghostscript/ghostscript-CVE-2009-4270.patch?revision=1.1&view=markup> * Vendor:   <http://cvs.fedoraproject.org/viewvc/F-12/ghostscript/ghostscript-vsnprintf.patch?revision=1.2&view=markup> * Vendor:   <http://git.debian.org/?p=collab-maint/ghostscript.git;a=blob;f=debian/patches/1008_CVE-2009-4270.patch;h=4e23bd622ab119f221ed9c0e131a55c196882eb7;hb=HEAD> |

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2009-4270)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-4270)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2009-4270)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2009-4270)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-961-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-961-1)
+ Ghostscript vulnerabilities
+ 13 July 2010

### Other references

* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-4270>