CVE-2018-17213 in PrinterOn Central Print Services
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in PrinterOn Central Print Services (CPS) through 4.1.4. A user without valid credentials can bypass the authentication process, obtaining a valid session cookie with guest/pseudo-guest level privileges. This cookie can then be further used to perform other attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/13/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-17213 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within PrinterOn Central Print Services version 4.1.4 and earlier. This weakness allows unauthenticated attackers to gain unauthorized access to the system by exploiting a flaw in the authentication mechanism that permits arbitrary session cookie generation. The vulnerability specifically affects the guest or pseudo-guest privilege level, which despite being limited in scope, provides attackers with a foothold that can be leveraged for further malicious activities. The issue stems from insufficient validation of user credentials during the authentication process, enabling attackers to manipulate the system into generating valid session cookies without proper authorization.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability manifests as a failure in the session management component of the PrinterOn CPS platform. The authentication bypass occurs at the application layer where the system fails to properly validate user credentials before issuing session tokens. Attackers can exploit this by crafting specific requests that circumvent normal authentication flows, resulting in the generation of session cookies that grant guest-level access to the system. This flaw directly maps to CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access as the issued session cookies can be used to perform additional attacks within the compromised system's operational boundaries.
The operational implications of CVE-2018-17213 are significant for organizations relying on PrinterOn CPS for their print management infrastructure. Once an attacker obtains a valid session cookie, they can potentially access print queues, view print job information, and manipulate print configurations without proper authorization. The guest-level privileges granted through this bypass could enable attackers to perform reconnaissance activities, gather information about network resources, and potentially escalate their privileges through additional attacks. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where print services are integrated with corporate networks, as it provides a potential entry point for lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The attack surface is further expanded due to the fact that guest access often includes access to sensitive print-related data and system configurations.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching to the latest available version of PrinterOn CPS that addresses this authentication bypass vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to limit access to print services to authorized users only. Additionally, monitoring for unusual authentication patterns and session cookie generation should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts usage, as attackers can leverage the legitimate session cookies to maintain access to the system. Security teams should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication mechanisms where possible and establish regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar authentication bypass issues in other network services. The remediation process should include thorough testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce compatibility issues with existing print management workflows while maintaining the integrity of the authentication system.