CVE-2011-4787 in Easy Printer Care Software
Summary
by MITRE
A certain ActiveX control in HPTicketMgr.dll in HP Easy Printer Care Software 2.5 and earlier allows remote attackers to download an arbitrary program onto a client machine, and execute this program, via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-2404 and CVE-2011-4786.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-4787 represents a critical security flaw within the HP Easy Printer Care Software suite, specifically affecting versions 2.5 and earlier. This issue resides within the HPTicketMgr.dll ActiveX control, which serves as a component for handling printer ticketing and management functions. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems through unspecified attack vectors, creating a significant risk for enterprise and individual users who have this software installed. The flaw is particularly concerning because it allows for the automatic download and execution of malicious programs without user interaction, effectively bypassing traditional security controls that rely on user consent for software installation.
This vulnerability operates through the exploitation of ActiveX control weaknesses, which are well-documented in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog as CWE-16 - "Configuration' and CWE-502 - "Deserialization of Untrusted Data." The ActiveX control in question fails to properly validate input parameters and lacks adequate sandboxing mechanisms that would normally prevent unauthorized code execution. Attackers can leverage this flaw by crafting malicious web pages or email attachments that contain specially formatted data designed to trigger the vulnerable ActiveX control. When executed, the control downloads and runs arbitrary programs from remote servers, potentially installing malware, backdoors, or other malicious payloads that can compromise the entire system.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-4787 extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of Windows-based systems by exploiting the trust relationships between browser components and installed software. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1195.001 - "Supply Chain Compromise" and T1059.007 - "Command and Scripting Interpreter: Visual Basic," as attackers can leverage the ActiveX control to establish persistent access and execute commands through various scripting languages. The attack surface is particularly broad since many users have HP printer software installed, making this vulnerability an attractive target for mass exploitation campaigns. Organizations running affected versions of HP Easy Printer Care Software face potential data breaches, system compromise, and lateral movement opportunities for attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-4787 should prioritize immediate software updates and patches from HP, as the vendor has released fixes addressing this specific ActiveX control vulnerability. System administrators should implement browser security policies that disable ActiveX controls or restrict their execution to trusted sites only, following best practices outlined in the National Institute of Standards and Technology guidelines for ActiveX control management. Network segmentation and application whitelisting can help contain the potential impact of exploitation attempts, while endpoint detection and response solutions should be configured to monitor for suspicious ActiveX control behavior and unauthorized program downloads. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning to identify and remediate similar issues in legacy software components that may not receive ongoing security support.