Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This CVE is a command-injection flaw in iTextPDF handling of CompareTool filenames passed to Ghostscript. If reachable in an application workflow, it could let an attacker make the server run unintended commands, with potential full confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Executive priority
Treat as urgent if affected iText functionality is internet-facing or processes customer-supplied files. The business risk is high because successful exploitation could compromise the application server. If CompareTool is not deployed or not reachable by untrusted input, urgency is lower but inventory confirmation is still needed.
Technical view
The issue is CWE-77 command injection in GhostscriptHelper.java, where a CompareTool filename is mishandled on the gs/Ghostscript command line. The CVSS v3.1 score is 9.8 with network, low-complexity, unauthenticated, no-user-interaction characteristics as reported in the bundle.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely where applications use affected iText/iTextPDF or Debian libitext5-java functionality that invokes CompareTool with attacker-influenced filenames. The provided affected CPE/product fields are empty, so exact product-version inventory must be verified against vendor and distribution advisories.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show CISA KEV status and provides no confirmed active exploitation evidence. Public references include a Pastebin entry and vendor/distribution advisories, but the prompt does not establish exploitation in the wild.
Researcher notes
Key uncertainty is version scope: the bundle references iText 7.1.17, iTextPDF 5.5.13.3, and Debian libitext5-java advisories, but affected product metadata is not populated. Avoid assuming reachability without confirming CompareTool use and filename control in the target application.
Mitigation direction
- Identify all iText, iTextPDF, and libitext5-java dependencies in application inventories.
- Check iText release notes and Debian advisories for fixed package versions.
- Upgrade affected packages following vendor or distribution guidance.
- Restrict any workflow that passes user-controlled filenames into PDF comparison tooling.
- Review server permissions around Ghostscript execution paths and temporary-file handling.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether CompareTool or GhostscriptHelper is used in production code paths.
- Map deployed iText and libitext5-java versions against the cited advisories.
- Check whether untrusted users can influence filenames used by PDF comparison workflows.
- Review dependency lockfiles, container images, and OS packages for vulnerable libraries.
- Look for historical logs showing unexpected Ghostscript invocation errors or abnormal process execution.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-77: Command execution behavior lookup
Command injection weaknesses can lead defenders to review execution techniques and command interpreter telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-43113 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.8CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/itext/itext7/releases/tag/7.1.17CVE reference
- https://pastebin.com/BXnkY9YYCVE reference
- [debian-lts-announce] 20230118 [SECURITY] [DLA 3273-1] libitext5-java security updateCVE reference · mailing-list
- DSA-5323CVE reference · vendor-advisory
- https://github.com/itext/itextpdf/releases/tag/5.5.13.3CVE reference
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.