# CVE-1999-0155: Artifex Ghostscript command execution via -dSAFER bypass

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-1999-0155-artifex-ghostscript-command-execution-via-dsafer-bypass  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 1995-08-31. Updated: 2026-05-10  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-1999-0155 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.5 · Published 1995-08-31

Ghostscript, a widely used software for processing PDF and PostScript files, contains a security flaw that allows remote attackers to execute unauthorized commands. Even when the 'SAFER' security mode is enabled, malicious files can bypass these protections to run code on the underlying system. This could lead to a complete system takeover or the theft of sensitive data if a user processes a specially crafted document.

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-1999-0155 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-1999-0155 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-1999-0155?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.5, published 31 August 1995.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Artifex Software Ghostscript.

**Is there a fix for CVE-1999-0155?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-1999-0155 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-1999-0155?** Check whether anything you run is named in the advisory. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

A vulnerability exists in Ghostscript's -dSAFER mode, which is intended to prevent PostScript programs from performing dangerous operations like deleting files or executing system commands. By bypassing these restrictions, a remote attacker can achieve arbitrary command execution on the host system. The attack is typically delivered via a maliciously crafted PostScript or PDF file that is processed by the Ghostscript interpreter. This flaw is particularly critical for web services or mail gateways that use Ghostscript for document conversion or thumbnail generation. At the time of reporting, this represented a failure of the primary security sandbox mechanism in the software.

## Affected products

- Artifex Software Ghostscript

## Timeline

- 1995-08-31: disclosed

## References

- [https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/CVE-1999-0155](https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/CVE-1999-0155)