How severe is CVE-2009-5078?

CVE-2009-5078 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity low, and availability low.

Is CVE-2009-5078 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (81st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2009-5078?

CVE-2009-5078 primarily affects Gnu Groff. In total, 16 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2009-5078?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2009-5078 published?

CVE-2009-5078 was published on 2011-06-30 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2009-5078

CVE-2009-5078 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Gnu Groff with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-254.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.5)
CVSS v2: 6.4
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (81st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-254
Affected product: Gnu Groff
Published: 2011-06-30
Last modified: 2026-06-16

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.

Frequently asked questions

What is 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.
How severe is CVE-2009-5078?: CVE-2009-5078 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity low, and availability low.
Is CVE-2009-5078 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (81st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2009-5078?: CVE-2009-5078 primarily affects Gnu Groff. In total, 16 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2009-5078?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2009-5078 published?: CVE-2009-5078 was published on 2011-06-30 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (16)

cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.11a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.16.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.17.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.17.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.18.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.19.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.19.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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