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Vulnerability record · CVE-2009-5078 · published 30 June 2011

CVE-2009-5078: Gnu groff vulnerability

Gnu · Groff

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.

6.5 CVSS 3.0 Medium EPSS 2.3% · top 17.3% CWE-254 · CWE-254
6.5CVSS 3.0 base score, v2 6.4
2.3%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
2Affected product versions listed by NVD
14References
16 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

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.

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L

Affected products

2 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/groff/groff-1.20.1-1.21.diff.gz Patch
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=538338
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Aug/msg00001.html Vendor Advisory
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/08/09/1
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/08/10/2
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/36381
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT205031 Vendor Advisory
ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/groff/groff-1.20.1-1.21.diff.gz Patch
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=538338
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Aug/msg00001.html Vendor Advisory
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/08/09/1
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/08/10/2
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/36381
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT205031 Vendor Advisory

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2009-5078), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-27). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.