CVE-2019-18917 in Printer
Summary
by MITRE
A potential security vulnerability has been identified for certain HP Printers and All-in-Ones that would allow bypassing account lockout.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-18917 affects specific HP printer and all-in-one device models, presenting a significant security risk related to authentication mechanisms. This flaw enables unauthorized users to circumvent account lockout protections that are typically implemented to prevent brute force attacks and unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication logic within these devices, potentially allowing attackers to repeatedly attempt login credentials without triggering the expected account lockout mechanisms that would normally prevent such behavior.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of authentication attempts within the printer's firmware architecture. When users attempt to authenticate to the device, the system should enforce account lockout policies after a predetermined number of failed attempts to prevent automated brute force attacks. However, the flaw in HP's implementation allows attackers to bypass these protective measures through specific sequences of authentication requests or by exploiting timing mechanisms that the system does not properly monitor. This represents a critical weakness in the device's access control implementation and violates fundamental security principles for authentication systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential compromise of sensitive print jobs, exposure of confidential data, and possible lateral movement within network environments. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to printers that may serve as entry points to broader network infrastructures, particularly in enterprise environments where printers often remain accessible to multiple users and may contain sensitive information. The vulnerability also affects the integrity of the authentication system, undermining trust in the device's security controls and potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks such as credential stuffing or password spraying attacks that target multiple devices simultaneously.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating firmware to the latest versions provided by HP, which typically contain patches addressing this specific authentication bypass vulnerability. Network segmentation strategies should be employed to limit direct access to printer devices from sensitive network segments, while implementing additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication where possible. Regular security audits should be conducted to identify potentially affected devices within the network infrastructure, and monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual authentication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-305 authentication bypass issues and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1110 for credential access, specifically targeting the bypass of account lockout mechanisms that are fundamental to preventing unauthorized access in networked environments.
Security professionals should also consider implementing device hardening measures that restrict unnecessary network services, disable unused ports and protocols, and ensure that authentication mechanisms are properly configured according to security best practices. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of thorough testing of authentication systems, particularly in IoT devices where resource constraints may lead to implementation shortcuts that compromise security. Organizations should establish regular vulnerability assessment programs that include testing of printer and peripheral device security configurations to identify similar weaknesses that may exist in their broader network infrastructure.