CVE-2013-4829 in Color LaserJet CM4540
Summary
by MITRE
HP LaserJet M4555, M525, and M725; LaserJet flow MFP M525c; LaserJet Enterprise color flow MFP M575c; Color LaserJet CM4540, M575, and M775; and ScanJet Enterprise 8500fn1 FutureSmart devices allow local users to read images of arbitrary scanned documents via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4829 represents a significant security flaw in several HP LaserJet and ScanJet enterprise-grade printing and multifunction devices. This issue affects a range of models including the M4555, M525, M725, M525c, M575c, CM4540, M575, M775, and ScanJet Enterprise 8500fn1 devices, which are commonly deployed in corporate and institutional environments where document security is paramount. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls within the device's scanning functionality, creating a critical weakness that could be exploited by local attackers to access sensitive scanned documents.
The technical flaw manifests through unspecified vectors that allow local users to read images of arbitrary scanned documents without proper authentication or authorization. This weakness falls under the category of improper access control as defined by CWE-285, where the device fails to properly enforce access restrictions on scanned document data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects devices that are typically located in shared office environments where local access might be possible through physical proximity or legitimate administrative access. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to gain access to confidential documents that have been scanned and stored on the device's internal memory or memory cards.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of document handling processes within enterprise environments. Organizations relying on these devices for sensitive document management, including financial records, medical information, legal documents, or proprietary business data, face significant risk of unauthorized access. The vulnerability could be exploited by malicious employees, contractors, or individuals with physical access to the devices, potentially leading to data breaches, intellectual property theft, or compliance violations. This weakness undermines the trust placed in enterprise printing solutions and could result in regulatory penalties under various data protection frameworks such as GDPR, HIPAA, or SOX compliance requirements.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should encompass both immediate and long-term security measures. Organizations should implement strict physical access controls to prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing the devices, including securing device locations and implementing proper key management for administrative access. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit local network access to these devices. Device firmware updates should be deployed immediately when available from HP, as the vendor would have likely released patches addressing this specific weakness. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing document retention policies that automatically delete scanned documents from device memory after processing, and establish monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized access attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques such as privilege escalation and credential access, where local adversaries can leverage device weaknesses to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning of networked devices should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other enterprise equipment and ensure comprehensive protection against similar threats.