How severe is CVE-2016-8602?

CVE-2016-8602 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-8602 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (87th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-8602?

CVE-2016-8602 affects Artifex Ghostscript. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-8602?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2016-8602 published?

CVE-2016-8602 was published on 2017-04-14 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-8602

CVE-2016-8602 is a high-severity vulnerability in Artifex Ghostscript with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. 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-704.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 3% (87th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-704
Affected product: Artifex Ghostscript
Published: 2017-04-14
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The .sethalftone5 function in psi/zht2.c in Ghostscript before 9.21 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted Postscript document that calls .sethalftone5 with an empty operand stack.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-8602?: The .sethalftone5 function in psi/zht2.c in Ghostscript before 9.21 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted Postscript document that calls .sethalftone5 with an empty operand stack.
How severe is CVE-2016-8602?: CVE-2016-8602 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-8602 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (87th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-8602?: CVE-2016-8602 affects Artifex Ghostscript. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-8602?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2016-8602 published?: CVE-2016-8602 was published on 2017-04-14 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:artifex:ghostscript:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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