CVE-2020-6931 in Print and Scan Doctor
Summary
by MITRE • 11/04/2021
HP Print and Scan Doctor may potentially be vulnerable to local elevation of privilege.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/09/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-6931 affects HP Print and Scan Doctor software, which represents a significant security concern within the print management ecosystem. This application serves as a diagnostic and management tool for HP printers, providing users with functionalities to configure, troubleshoot, and maintain their printing devices. The software operates with elevated privileges to perform system-level operations required for printer management, creating a potential attack surface that could be exploited by malicious actors seeking to escalate their privileges within the system. The vulnerability specifically relates to improper privilege handling within the application's execution environment, where the software fails to adequately validate or restrict the execution context of its components.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's handling of local privilege escalation opportunities, where the software's design allows for potential manipulation of its execution environment or component loading processes. This weakness enables a local attacker with minimal privileges to potentially leverage the application's elevated permissions to execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and privilege separation mechanisms within the software architecture, creating pathways for malicious code injection or component replacement that could be exploited to gain unauthorized system access. The flaw particularly affects scenarios where the application runs with elevated privileges and fails to properly enforce security boundaries during its operation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it represents a critical weakness in endpoint security for organizations relying on HP Print and Scan Doctor for printer management. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to establish persistent access to target systems, potentially leading to data exfiltration, lateral movement within network environments, or the deployment of additional malicious tools. The vulnerability affects not only individual workstations but also enterprise environments where multiple users might have access to the application, creating a potential vector for widespread compromise. Organizations using this software in their print management infrastructure face elevated risk of unauthorized system access, particularly in environments where print management tools are frequently accessed by multiple users or where security controls are insufficiently implemented.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-6931 should focus on immediate remediation through official security patches provided by HP, as well as implementing additional security controls to limit the attack surface. System administrators should disable or remove the vulnerable application from systems where it is not essential, particularly in environments where it runs with elevated privileges. The implementation of application whitelisting policies can help prevent unauthorized execution of potentially malicious components, while regular security assessments should monitor for any unauthorized modifications to the application or its installation directories. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege controls, ensuring that the application only runs with the minimum privileges necessary for its intended functionality. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper privilege management, and represents a potential entry point for attackers following MITRE ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves exploiting local system privileges for elevation of access.