CVE-2006-0789 in Fs-3830n
Summary
by MITRE
Certain unspecified Kyocera printers have a default "admin" account with a blank password, which allows remote attackers to access an administrative menu via a telnet session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2006-0789 represents a critical security flaw in certain Kyocera printer models that stems from improper default configuration practices. This issue specifically affects printer devices where the manufacturer has pre-configured an administrative account with minimal security controls. The vulnerability is classified under the weakness category of weak default credentials, which is documented in CWE-798 as the use of hard-coded credentials that are never changed by users. The presence of a default administrative account with a blank password creates an inherent security risk that can be exploited by unauthorized parties without requiring any specialized knowledge or tools beyond basic network connectivity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the Telnet protocol which is used for remote administration of the printer systems. Telnet operates without encryption and transmits credentials in plaintext, making it particularly susceptible to interception and exploitation. When an attacker establishes a Telnet session to the affected printer, they can immediately access the administrative menu without providing any authentication credentials. This represents a fundamental failure in the principle of least privilege and demonstrates how default configurations can create backdoors that persist throughout the device lifecycle. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects multiple printer models from the same manufacturer, suggesting a systemic issue in the device provisioning and security hardening processes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential full system compromise and network infiltration. An attacker with access to the administrative interface could modify printer configurations, install malicious firmware, redirect print jobs, or use the device as a pivot point to attack other systems within the network. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 which covers protocol tunneling and T1068 which addresses local privilege escalation. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access points within network environments, as printers are often located in accessible network segments and may be overlooked during security assessments. Organizations using these devices face significant risk of data breaches, print job interception, and potential use as launching points for broader network attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security posture improvements. The primary immediate action involves changing the default administrative password to a strong, unique credential that is not shared across multiple devices. Security administrators should implement network segmentation to isolate printer devices from critical network segments and consider disabling unnecessary services like Telnet. The implementation of encrypted remote access protocols such as SSH should be mandatory for printer administration. Organizations should also establish comprehensive device inventory management processes to identify all network-connected devices and ensure regular security assessments. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following security best practices such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-44 which provides guidelines for securing networked printer devices. Regular vulnerability scanning and patch management procedures should be implemented to detect and remediate similar configuration issues across the enterprise network infrastructure.