CVE-2022-29850 in Product
Summary
by MITRE • 08/26/2022
Various Lexmark products through 2022-04-27 allow External Control of a System or Configuration Setting because of Improper Input Validation.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/02/2022
This vulnerability affects multiple Lexmark products and represents a critical configuration management flaw that allows attackers to manipulate system settings from external sources. The issue stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize or verify user-supplied data before processing it as system configuration parameters. According to CWE-170, this weakness occurs when improper input validation leads to unauthorized system modifications, creating a pathway for attackers to gain control over critical device configurations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability enables malicious actors to inject malformed or unauthorized input into Lexmark devices, potentially allowing them to modify network settings, authentication parameters, or other critical system configurations. This weakness falls under the ATT&CK technique T1068 which describes the use of legitimate credentials and system access to execute unauthorized changes. The vulnerability exists in the input processing layer of Lexmark devices where validation checks are either absent or insufficient to prevent malicious input from being interpreted as legitimate configuration commands.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access points, redirect network traffic, or compromise the integrity of device communications. Attackers could potentially manipulate device settings to disable security features, create backdoors, or redirect device communications to malicious endpoints. This risk is particularly concerning for networked printing devices that often serve as entry points into corporate networks, making the vulnerability a potential vector for lateral movement and privilege escalation.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation of Lexmark devices, enforcing strict access controls, and applying firmware updates as provided by Lexmark. Security monitoring should focus on unusual configuration changes or network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and configuration management practices, aligning with industry standards such as NIST SP 800-53 control CM-7 for configuration management and CWE-170's emphasis on preventing improper input validation that leads to system control compromise. Device administrators should also consider implementing network access controls and monitoring for unauthorized configuration changes to prevent exploitation of this weakness.