CVE-2012-2142

Name: CVE-2012-2142
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2020-01-09T21:15:10.967+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.8/10EPSS 2.94%

Last modified Jun 16, 2026

CVE-2012-2142 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.8/10 on the CVSS scale. The error function in Error.cc in poppler before 0.21.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a PDF containing an escape sequence for a terminal emulator.. EPSS estimates a 2.94% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

The error function in Error.cc in poppler before 0.21.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a PDF containing an escape sequence for a terminal emulator.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

2.94%

85.4th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Freedesktop	Poppler	< 0.21.4
Xpdfreader	Xpdf	3.02
Redhat	Enterprise Linux	5.0
Redhat	Enterprise Linux	6.0
Opensuse	Opensuse	12.2

References

http://cgit.freedesktop.org/poppler/poppler/commit/?id=71bad47ed6a36d825b0d08992c8db56845c71e40Patch, Vendor Advisory
http://cgit.freedesktop.org/poppler/poppler/commit/NEWS?id=2bc48d5369f1dbecfc4db2878f33bdeb80d8d90fPatch, Vendor Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2013-08/msg00049.htmlMailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/08/09/5Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/08/09/6Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=789936Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
http://cgit.freedesktop.org/poppler/poppler/commit/?id=71bad47ed6a36d825b0d08992c8db56845c71e40Patch, Vendor Advisory
http://cgit.freedesktop.org/poppler/poppler/commit/NEWS?id=2bc48d5369f1dbecfc4db2878f33bdeb80d8d90fPatch, Vendor Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2013-08/msg00049.htmlMailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/08/09/5Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/08/09/6Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=789936Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jan 9, 2020
Last Modified: Jun 16, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2012-2142?

The error function in Error.cc in poppler before 0.21.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a PDF containing an escape sequence for a terminal emulator.

How severe is CVE-2012-2142?

CVE-2012-2142 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 2.94% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2012-2142?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2012-2142?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST