CVE-2019-13192 in HL-L8360CDW
Summary
by MITRE
Some Brother printers (such as the HL-L8360CDW v1.20) were affected by a heap buffer overflow vulnerability as the IPP service did not parse attribute names properly. This would allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the device.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2020
The heap buffer overflow vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-13192 affects several Brother printer models including the HL-L8360CDW version 1.20 and represents a critical security flaw in the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) implementation. This vulnerability resides within the printer's network service layer where the IPP daemon fails to properly validate and parse attribute names received from network clients. The improper input validation creates a condition where maliciously crafted IPP requests can cause the printer's memory management to overflow, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution on the affected device. The vulnerability specifically targets the heap memory allocation mechanism, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited to gain full control over the printer's operating system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a classic buffer overflow pattern where insufficient bounds checking allows an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations in the heap. When the IPP service processes malformed attribute names, it fails to validate the length or format of incoming data before copying it into fixed-size buffers. This flaw aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a direct violation of secure coding practices for memory management. The vulnerability can be triggered through network-based attacks without requiring physical access to the device, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where printers are often accessible across network boundaries.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations as it allows remote code execution on networked printers, potentially enabling attackers to establish persistent access points within corporate networks. The affected Brother printers operate as network services that are frequently exposed to untrusted network traffic, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking to leverage the device as a foothold for further network exploration. The vulnerability can be exploited to install backdoors, modify printer configurations, or redirect print jobs to malicious endpoints, all while maintaining stealth through the printer's legitimate network presence. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage and T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including firmware updates from Brother to address the root cause of the heap buffer overflow, network segmentation to isolate printer services from critical network segments, and network access controls to restrict IPP service access to trusted sources only. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure input validation in network services and highlights the need for regular security assessments of embedded network devices. Additional defensive measures include monitoring network traffic for suspicious IPP requests, implementing network intrusion detection systems, and ensuring proper network hygiene through regular vulnerability scanning and patch management processes. The incident underscores the critical nature of securing Internet of Things devices and embedded systems within enterprise environments where traditional security controls may be insufficient.