CVE-2004-0740 in T522 Network Printer
Summary
by MITRE
The HTTP server in Lexmark T522 and possibly other models allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (server crash, reload, or hang) via an HTTP header with a long Host field, possibly triggering a buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0740 affects the HTTP server implementation within Lexmark T522 multifunction devices and potentially other models in the Lexmark product line. This issue represents a classic buffer overflow vulnerability that manifests through malformed HTTP headers, specifically targeting the Host field parameter. The vulnerability resides in the device's web server component that processes incoming HTTP requests, making it accessible to remote attackers without requiring authentication or physical access to the device. The affected Lexmark T522 model operates as a networked printing solution that exposes HTTP services to facilitate remote management and configuration, creating an attack surface that adversaries can exploit to disrupt service availability.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation within the HTTP server's parsing logic for the Host header field. When an attacker crafts an HTTP request containing an excessively long Host field value, the device's web server fails to properly bounds-check the input before processing it. This lack of proper input sanitization allows the malformed data to overflow the allocated buffer space, resulting in memory corruption that ultimately causes the HTTP server process to crash or become unresponsive. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the network stack, specifically within the HTTP protocol handling mechanisms of the embedded web server software. This type of flaw falls under CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows data to overwrite adjacent memory locations, and is classified as a CWE-122 when the overflow involves heap-based buffers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the availability of critical printing infrastructure within enterprise environments. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability can cause the affected Lexmark T522 device to crash, requiring manual intervention for restart and recovery, or may result in prolonged service unavailability that affects document processing workflows. Organizations relying on these devices for printing operations may experience significant productivity losses during the downtime, particularly in high-volume office environments where multiple users depend on shared printing resources. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can initiate the attack from anywhere on the network, making it particularly dangerous for devices connected to untrusted networks or exposed to the internet. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks targeting network infrastructure components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-0740 should include immediate firmware updates from Lexmark to address the buffer overflow condition, along with network segmentation to limit access to affected devices. Organizations should implement access controls that restrict HTTP server access to trusted network segments and utilize network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous HTTP header patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network administrators should also consider disabling unnecessary HTTP services on the devices when possible, and establish regular vulnerability scanning procedures to identify similar issues in other networked printing equipment. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and input validation in embedded systems, particularly those handling network communications where malformed input can lead to system instability. Additionally, implementing intrusion detection systems that monitor for unusual HTTP header lengths and malformed requests can provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts, helping organizations respond proactively to emerging threats targeting their networked printing infrastructure.