---
title: "CVE-2018-16585\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-2018-16585?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2018-16585

Publication date 6 September 2018

Last updated 4 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

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

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**7.8 · High**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-16585?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

An issue was discovered in Artifex Ghostscript before 9.24. The
.setdistillerkeys PostScript command is accepted even though it is not
intended for use during document processing (e.g., after the startup
phase). This leads to memory corruption, allowing remote attackers able to
supply crafted PostScript to crash the interpreter or possibly have
unspecified other impact. Note: A reputable source believes that the CVE is
potentially a duplicate of CVE-2018-15910 as explained in Red Hat bugzilla
(https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show\_bug.cgi?id=1626193)

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-16585?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ghostscript | 18.04 LTS bionic | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 9.18~dfsg~0-0ubuntu2.9 |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 9.10~dfsg-0ubuntu10.13 |

---

* [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-2018-16585?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

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

looks like these two commits were actually in 9.22
3rd and 4th commits fix a regression

### 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://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git;a=commit;h=1497d65039885a52b598b137dd8622bd4672f9be> * Upstream:   <http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git;a=commit;h=971472c83a345a16dac9f90f91258bb22dd77f22> * Upstream:   <http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git;a=commit;h=bcef41ad72a16472a3003d357bf8d8680174ab85> * Upstream:   <http://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git;a=commit;h=c1a8dc52c0e320c41d04b6f32086622150962d61> |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

7.8 · High

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Local |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | None |
  | User interaction | Required |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | High |
  | Integrity impact | High |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 7.8 · High |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2018-16585)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16585)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2018-16585)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2018-16585)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-3768-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-3768-1)
+ Ghostscript vulnerabilities
+ 19 September 2018

### Other references

* <https://seclists.org/oss-sec/2018/q3/182>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-16585>