CVE-2014-4338 in cups-filters
Summary
by MITRE
cups-browsed in cups-filters before 1.0.53 allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions in opportunistic circumstances by leveraging a malformed cups-browsed.conf BrowseAllow directive that is interpreted as granting browse access to all IP addresses.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4338 affects the cups-browsed component within the cups-filters package, specifically versions prior to 1.0.53. This issue represents a significant security flaw that undermines the intended access control mechanisms of the Common Unix Printing System (CUPS) network browsing functionality. The vulnerability manifests when a malformed BrowseAllow directive is present in the cups-browsed.conf configuration file, creating an unintended security boundary that could be exploited by remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to networked printing resources.
The technical flaw stems from improper parsing and interpretation of the BrowseAllow directive within the cups-browsed configuration file. When a malformed directive is encountered, the system incorrectly processes the configuration entry and interprets it as granting unrestricted browse access to all IP addresses within the network. This misinterpretation occurs due to insufficient input validation and sanitization of configuration parameters, allowing malicious actors to craft specific configurations that bypass the intended access restrictions. The vulnerability operates under opportunistic conditions, meaning that exploitation is not guaranteed but becomes possible when specific circumstances align with the malformed configuration scenario.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally compromises the network security posture of systems relying on CUPS printing services. Remote attackers who can influence or modify the cups-browsed.conf file can effectively eliminate network boundaries that were designed to protect sensitive printing resources from unauthorized access. This weakness enables attackers to discover and potentially interact with printers and print services that should remain restricted to authorized network segments. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where CUPS is used for network printing management, as it undermines the trust model that governs printer discovery and access control within distributed printing environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected systems to upgrade to cups-filters version 1.0.53 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to properly validate BrowseAllow directive configurations. System administrators should also implement strict access controls over the cups-browsed.conf configuration file, ensuring that only authorized personnel can modify these critical security parameters. Additional protective measures include network segmentation to isolate printing services, implementing proper file permissions for configuration files, and conducting regular security audits of CUPS-related configurations. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol: DNS, as it affects network service discovery mechanisms that operate at the application layer. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous browsing behavior or unauthorized configuration changes to provide additional defense in depth against exploitation attempts.