CVE-2017-20156 in Printer
Summary
by MITRE • 12/31/2022
A vulnerability was found in Exciting Printer and classified as critical. This issue affects some unknown processing of the file lib/printer/jobs/prepare_page.rb of the component Argument Handler. The manipulation of the argument URL leads to command injection. The name of the patch is 5f8c715d6e2cc000f621a6833f0a86a673462136. It is recommended to apply a patch to fix this issue. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-217139.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-20156 represents a critical command injection flaw within the Exciting Printer application that poses significant security risks to affected systems. This vulnerability resides in the argument handling component of the application, specifically within the file lib/printer/jobs/prepare_page.rb which processes user-supplied input through the URL argument parameter. The flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying system by manipulating the URL argument, effectively bypassing normal input validation mechanisms and creating a severe attack surface for malicious actors.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-77, which specifically addresses command injection flaws where untrusted data is incorporated into system commands without proper sanitization or validation. The attack vector exploits the argument handler component by passing malicious input through the URL parameter, which then gets processed by the prepare_page.rb script without adequate security controls. This creates a direct pathway for remote code execution, allowing attackers to potentially gain full system control or escalate privileges within the affected environment. The vulnerability's classification as critical underscores the severity of potential impact, as command injection vulnerabilities can enable attackers to perform actions with the privileges of the affected application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it can lead to complete system compromise and data exfiltration. Attackers could leverage this flaw to install backdoors, modify system configurations, access sensitive data, or use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks within the network. The presence of a specific patch identified by the commit hash 5f8c715d6e2cc000f621a6833f0a86a673462136 indicates that the vendor has acknowledged the issue and provided a remediation, though organizations must ensure proper implementation and testing of the patch to prevent further exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's association with VDB-217139 provides additional tracking and reference points for security professionals monitoring similar threats.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patch deployment to address this vulnerability while implementing additional security controls to mitigate potential exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to limit potential lateral movement if exploitation occurs, and monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual command execution patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and secure coding practices, particularly when handling user-supplied data in system command contexts. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and runtime application self-protection mechanisms to provide additional layers of defense against similar command injection attacks that may target other components within the application ecosystem.