CVE-2021-45944

Name: CVE-2021-45944
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2022-01-01T00:15:08.183+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 5.5/10EPSS 1.36%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2021-45944 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 5.5/10 on the CVSS scale. Ghostscript GhostPDL 9.50 through 9.53.3 has a use-after-free in sampled_data_sample (called from sampled_data_continue and interp).. EPSS estimates a 1.36% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

Ghostscript GhostPDL 9.50 through 9.53.3 has a use-after-free in sampled_data_sample (called from sampled_data_continue and interp).

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

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

EPSS Probability

1.36%

68.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-416

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Artifex	Ghostscript	>= 9.50, <= 9.53.3
Debian	Debian Linux	9.0
Debian	Debian Linux	10.0
Debian	Debian Linux	11.0

References

https://bugs.chromium.org/p/oss-fuzz/issues/detail?id=29903Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://bugs.chromium.org/p/oss-fuzz/issues/detail?id=30715Third Party Advisory
https://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=7861fcad13c497728189feafb41cd57b5b50ea25
https://github.com/google/oss-fuzz-vulns/blob/main/vulns/ghostscript/OSV-2021-237.yamlThird Party Advisory
https://github.com/google/oss-fuzz-vulns/issues/16Issue Tracking
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/01/msg00006.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://www.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5038Third Party Advisory
https://bugs.chromium.org/p/oss-fuzz/issues/detail?id=29903Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://bugs.chromium.org/p/oss-fuzz/issues/detail?id=30715Third Party Advisory
https://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=7861fcad13c497728189feafb41cd57b5b50ea25
https://github.com/google/oss-fuzz-vulns/blob/main/vulns/ghostscript/OSV-2021-237.yamlThird Party Advisory
https://github.com/google/oss-fuzz-vulns/issues/16Issue Tracking
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/01/msg00006.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://www.debian.org/security/2022/dsa-5038Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jan 1, 2022
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-45944?

Ghostscript GhostPDL 9.50 through 9.53.3 has a use-after-free in sampled_data_sample (called from sampled_data_continue and interp).

How severe is CVE-2021-45944?

CVE-2021-45944 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.36% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2021-45944?

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-2021-45944?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST