CVE-2013-4615 in MX340
Summary
by MITRE
The Canon MG3100, MG5300, MG6100, MP495, MX340, MX870, MX890, MX920, and MX922 printers allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (device hang) via a crafted LAN_TXT24 parameter to English/pages_MacUS/cgi_lan.cgi followed by a direct request to English/pages_MacUS/lan_set_content.html. NOTE: the vendor has apparently responded by stating "Canon believes that its printers will not have to deal with unauthorized access to the network from an external location as long as the printers are used in a secured environment."
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4615 affects multiple Canon multifunction printers including models MG3100, MG5300, MG6100, MP495, MX340, MX870, MX890, MX920, and MX922. This issue represents a denial of service weakness that can be exploited by remote attackers to cause device hang conditions, effectively rendering the affected printers non-functional. The vulnerability specifically manifests through a crafted LAN_TXT24 parameter that is processed by the English/pages_MacUS/cgi_lan.cgi component of the printer's web interface. The attack vector requires a two-step process where an attacker first sends a malicious LAN_TXT24 parameter to the cgi_lan.cgi script and then makes a direct request to English/pages_MacUS/lan_set_content.html, demonstrating the interconnected nature of the exploit chain.
This vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation and buffer overflow conditions as classified by CWE-121, where the printer's web server fails to properly sanitize input parameters before processing them. The flaw stems from inadequate parameter validation within the printer's embedded web interface, allowing maliciously crafted input to disrupt normal device operations. The attack scenario represents a classic case of remote code execution through web interface manipulation, where an attacker can manipulate the printer's internal state through carefully crafted HTTP requests. The vulnerability impacts the availability aspect of the printer's security model, as it can be exploited from external network locations without requiring physical access or authentication credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple device unavailability, as it can affect business continuity and productivity in office environments where these printers serve as critical components of document management systems. When exploited, the device hang condition can persist until manual intervention occurs, potentially requiring power cycling of the affected printer. Organizations relying on these devices for document printing, scanning, and faxing operations may experience significant disruption during business hours. The vulnerability also raises concerns about the overall security posture of networked printer fleets, as it demonstrates that even seemingly benign web interface components can be exploited to cause operational disruption.
The vendor's response acknowledging that printers should operate in secured environments reflects a common industry perspective on printer security, though this approach is problematic given that many organizations deploy printers in networked environments where security boundaries may not be properly enforced. This vulnerability highlights the need for defense in depth strategies and proper network segmentation to protect against unauthorized access to printer management interfaces. Organizations should implement network access controls to restrict access to printer web interfaces, deploy network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous traffic patterns, and regularly update printer firmware to address known vulnerabilities. The incident also underscores the importance of following security guidelines such as those provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Center for Internet Security, which recommend implementing secure printer configurations and limiting administrative access to networked devices. Additionally, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1210, which describes exploitation of remote services, and demonstrates how attackers can leverage web interface vulnerabilities to achieve denial of service conditions in networked printing environments.