CVE-2019-6337 in Inkjet Printer
Summary
by MITRE
For the printers listed a maliciously crafted print file might cause certain HP Inkjet printers to assert. Under certain circumstances, the printer produces a core dump to a local device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-6337 affects specific HP Inkjet printer models and represents a critical security flaw in the printer's firmware execution environment. This issue manifests when a maliciously crafted print file is processed by the affected devices, leading to unexpected system behavior that results in core dump generation. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the printer's print processing pipeline, where the device fails to properly sanitize or validate incoming print job data before execution. This flaw operates at the intersection of hardware and software security, specifically targeting the printer's embedded operating system and its handling of print spooler commands.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of print file structures that trigger memory corruption or buffer overflow conditions within the printer's firmware. When the malicious print job is submitted, the printer's processing engine encounters malformed data that causes it to enter an unstable state, ultimately resulting in the generation of a core dump file. This core dump contains sensitive information about the printer's internal memory state, including potentially confidential data that may have been processed during the print job execution. The core dump generation represents a significant information disclosure risk, as it could expose system internals, memory contents, and potentially sensitive operational data that should remain protected within the device's secure execution environment.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-6337 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can be leveraged by attackers to gain insights into the printer's internal architecture and potentially identify additional vulnerabilities within the device's firmware. The core dump files generated may contain debugging information, stack traces, and memory snapshots that provide attackers with valuable intelligence for developing more sophisticated attacks against the same or similar printer models. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where HP Inkjet printers are deployed, as these devices often handle sensitive corporate documents and may be connected to internal networks where additional attack vectors could be explored. The flaw represents a violation of the principle of least privilege, as the printer's normal operation is disrupted in a manner that exposes system internals without proper authorization.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including restricting print job submission from untrusted sources, implementing network segmentation to limit access to affected printer models, and ensuring regular firmware updates are deployed to address the vulnerability. Organizations should also consider disabling unnecessary printer services and implementing strict access controls for print queue management. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-122, which describes buffer overflow conditions, and could potentially be leveraged as part of broader attack chains under the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques. Given the nature of the flaw, it is recommended that affected organizations conduct thorough security assessments of their printer fleets and consider the potential for additional vulnerabilities in similar printer models from the same vendor or with comparable firmware architectures.