CVE-2017-2244 in MFC-J960DWN
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in MFC-J960DWN firmware ver.D and earlier allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2019
The CVE-2017-2244 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw affecting the MFC-J960DWN multifunction device firmware version D and earlier. This vulnerability resides within the web-based administrative interface of the device, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this printer model. The flaw enables remote attackers to manipulate administrative functions without proper authentication, effectively bypassing the device's security controls. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it allows attackers to perform administrative actions that could compromise the entire network infrastructure. The unspecified vectors suggest that the attack could be executed through various methods including malicious web pages, email attachments, or compromised network services that interact with the device's web interface. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where network printers often serve as entry points for broader attacks, especially when administrators frequently access these devices through web interfaces.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF protection mechanisms within the device's web application. Modern web applications typically implement CSRF tokens or similar validation mechanisms to ensure that requests originate from legitimate sources and that users have explicitly authorized actions. The MFC-J960DWN firmware fails to validate the source of administrative requests, allowing attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to originate from authenticated administrators. This flaw aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities, and demonstrates how insufficient input validation and authentication checks can lead to severe security implications. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not need physical access to the device or network proximity to exploit it, making it particularly concerning for organizations with distributed networks or remote workers. The device's web interface likely handles administrative functions such as configuration changes, firmware updates, user management, and network settings without proper session validation or referer header checks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations utilizing the affected MFC-J960DWN devices. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain full administrative control over the printer, potentially using it as a pivot point for further network exploration. The compromised device could serve as a persistent backdoor, allowing attackers to monitor network traffic, redirect print jobs, or even modify network configurations that could impact network security. Organizations might experience unauthorized access to sensitive print jobs, potential data exfiltration through compromised print queues, and disruption of legitimate administrative functions. The vulnerability also creates risk for credential exposure, as attackers could potentially access stored network credentials or administrative login information within the device's configuration. This type of attack vector is particularly concerning when considering that many organizations do not properly secure their network printer interfaces or monitor for unusual administrative activities, making the exploitation of such vulnerabilities more likely to go undetected.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-2244 should prioritize immediate firmware updates from the vendor to address the identified CSRF vulnerability. Organizations must implement network segmentation to isolate printer devices from critical network segments, reducing the potential impact of successful exploitation. Network monitoring should include detection of unusual administrative activities or unauthorized configuration changes that might indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of web application firewalls or network-based intrusion detection systems can help identify and block malicious CSRF requests targeting the device. Administrative users should be educated about the risks of clicking suspicious links or visiting untrusted websites, as these activities could facilitate exploitation. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected devices and implement proper access controls for printer administrative interfaces. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1071.004 technique for application layer protocol: web protocols, highlighting the importance of securing web-facing interfaces. Regular security audits should also verify that administrative interfaces require multi-factor authentication and that session management is properly implemented to prevent unauthorized access.