CVE-2009-5078
contrib/pdfmark/pdfroff.sh in GNU troff (aka groff) before 1.21 launches the Ghostscript program...
contrib/pdfmark/pdfroff.sh in GNU troff (aka groff) before 1.21 launches the Ghostscript program without the -dSAFER option, which allows remote attackers to create, overwrite, rename, or delete arbitrary files via a crafted document.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
contrib/pdfmark/pdfroff.sh in GNU troff (aka groff) before 1.21 launches the Ghostscript program without the -dSAFER option, which allows remote attackers to create, overwrite, rename, or delete arbitrary files via a crafted document.
- Record
CVE-2009-5078- CVSS 3.0
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L - CVSS 2.0
- 6.4 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-254
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
contrib/pdfmark/pdfroff.sh in GNU troff (aka groff) before 1.21 launches the Ghostscript program without the -dSAFER option, which allows remote attackers to create, overwrite, rename, or delete arbitrary files via a crafted document.
- Record
CVE-2009-5078- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2009-5033 No score
contrib/pdfmark/pdfroff.sh in GNU troff (aka groff) before 1.21 launches the Ghostscript program without the -dSAFER option, which allows remote attackers to create, overwrite, rename, or delete arbitrary files via a crafted document.
- Record
EUVD-2009-5033- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-pg77-m46r-9ph2
contrib/pdfmark/pdfroff.sh in GNU troff (aka groff) before 1.21 launches the Ghostscript program...
contrib/pdfmark/pdfroff.sh in GNU troff (aka groff) before 1.21 launches the Ghostscript program without the -dSAFER option, which allows remote attackers to create, overwrite, rename, or delete arbitrary files via a crafted document.
- Record
GHSA-pg77-m46r-9ph2- CVSS 3.0
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
contrib/pdfmark/pdfroff.sh in GNU troff (aka groff) before 1.21 launches the Ghostscript program without the -dSAFER option, which allows remote attackers to create, overwrite, rename, or delete arbitrary files via a crafted document.
- Record
CVE-2009-5078- CVSS 3.0
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2009-5078
contrib/pdfmark/pdfroff.sh in GNU troff (aka groff) before 1.21 launches the Ghostscript program without the -dSAFER option, which allows remote attackers to create, overwrite, rename, or delete arbitrary files via a crafted document.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2009-5078- CVSS 3.0
- 6.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2009-5078 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.5) in Gnu Groff, published June 30, 2011. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 2.31%, the 83rd percentile. Fixed in groff 1.20.1-5.
References
openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/08/09/1
bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=538338
securityfocus.com/bid/36381
lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Aug/msg00001.html
support.apple.com/kb/HT205031
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-5078
github.com/advisories/GHSA-pg77-m46r-9ph2
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2009-5078