CVE-2021-43113

Name: CVE-2021-43113
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2021-12-15T07:15:07.453+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

CRITICALCVSS 9.8/10EPSS 5.17%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2021-43113 is a critical-severity vulnerability rated 9.8/10 on the CVSS scale. iTextPDF in iText 7 and up to (excluding 4.4.13.3) 7.1.17 allows command injection via a CompareTool filename that is mishandled on the gs (aka Ghostscript) command line in GhostscriptHelper.java.. EPSS estimates a 5.17% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

iTextPDF in iText 7 and up to (excluding 4.4.13.3) 7.1.17 allows command injection via a CompareTool filename that is mishandled on the gs (aka Ghostscript) command line in GhostscriptHelper.java.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

9.8/10

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

EPSS Probability

5.17%

91.4th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Itextpdf	Itext	>= 7.0.0, < 7.1.17
Debian	Debian Linux	10.0
Debian	Debian Linux	11.0

References

https://github.com/itext/itext7/releases/tag/7.1.17Release Notes, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/itext/itextpdf/releases/tag/5.5.13.3
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/01/msg00013.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://pastebin.com/BXnkY9YYExploit, Third Party Advisory
https://www.debian.org/security/2023/dsa-5323Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/itext/itext7/releases/tag/7.1.17Release Notes, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/itext/itextpdf/releases/tag/5.5.13.3
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/01/msg00013.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://pastebin.com/BXnkY9YYExploit, Third Party Advisory
https://www.debian.org/security/2023/dsa-5323Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Dec 15, 2021
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-43113?

iTextPDF in iText 7 and up to (excluding 4.4.13.3) 7.1.17 allows command injection via a CompareTool filename that is mishandled on the gs (aka Ghostscript) command line in GhostscriptHelper.java.

How severe is CVE-2021-43113?

CVE-2021-43113 has a CVSS score of 9.8/10 (CRITICAL severity). The EPSS model estimates a 5.17% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-43113?

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-2021-43113?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST