---
id: CVE-2023-38559
title: >-
  A buffer overflow flaw was found in base/gdevdevn.c:1973 in
  devn_pcx_write_rle() in ghostscript
summary: >-
  A buffer overflow flaw was found in base/gdevdevn.c:1973 in
  devn_pcx_write_rle() in ghostscript. This issue may allow a local attacker to
  cause a denial of service via outputting a crafted PDF file for a DEVN device
  with gs.
severity: medium
cvss: 5.5
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-125
  - CWE-120
vendor: artifex
product: ghostscript
affected:
  - ghostscript < 10.02.0
  - enterprise_linux = 8.0
  - enterprise_linux = 9.0
  - fedora = 37
  - fedora = 38
  - debian_linux = 10.0
patched:
  - ghostscript 10.02.0
published: '2023-08-01'
updated: '2026-06-23'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38559'
references:
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6544'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7053'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-38559'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://bugs.ghostscript.com/show_bug.cgi?id=706897'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2224367'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git;a=commitdiff;h=d81b82c70bc1'
    label: secalert@redhat.com
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6544'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:7053'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-38559'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://bugs.ghostscript.com/show_bug.cgi?id=706897'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2224367'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://git.ghostscript.com/?p=ghostpdl.git;a=commitdiff;h=d81b82c70bc1'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/08/msg00006.html'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/GBV6BTUREXM6DB3OGHGLMWGAZ3I45TXE/
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/QH7ERAYSSXEYDWWY7LOV7CA5MIDZN3Z6/
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.00435
epssPercentile: 0.35179
ingestedAt: '2026-06-29T13:24:33.514Z'
---

## Overview

A buffer overflow flaw was found in base/gdevdevn.c:1973 in devn_pcx_write_rle() in ghostscript. This issue may allow a local attacker to cause a denial of service via outputting a crafted PDF file for a DEVN device with gs.

## Affected

- `ghostscript < 10.02.0`
- `enterprise_linux = 8.0`
- `enterprise_linux = 9.0`
- `fedora = 37`
- `fedora = 38`
- `debian_linux = 10.0`

## Remediation

Upgrade past the affected range:

- `ghostscript 10.02.0`