CVE-2023-22960 in Product
Summary
by MITRE • 01/24/2023
Lexmark products through 2023-01-10 have Improper Control of Interaction Frequency.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2025
CVE-2023-22960 represents a critical vulnerability affecting Lexmark products released through January 10, 2023, classified under the weakness category of improper control of interaction frequency. This vulnerability falls under CWE-307, which specifically addresses insufficient control of a resource's rate of access or use, commonly known as rate limiting or frequency control issues. The flaw manifests in how Lexmark devices manage interaction frequency, potentially allowing adversaries to exploit this weakness through excessive requests or rapid interactions with the affected systems. The vulnerability stems from inadequate mechanisms to monitor and regulate the frequency of user interactions, API calls, or system operations, creating opportunities for abuse through resource exhaustion or denial of service conditions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves insufficient validation of interaction patterns within Lexmark's product architecture, particularly in network communication protocols and user interface handling. Attackers can exploit this weakness by generating excessive interaction requests that overwhelm the device's processing capabilities or consume excessive system resources. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in networked printer environments where devices are accessible over the internet or corporate networks, as it can be leveraged to disrupt operations, consume bandwidth, or potentially escalate to more severe attacks through resource exhaustion techniques. The improper control of interaction frequency creates a pathway for attackers to manipulate the device's normal operational behavior through sustained or rapid interaction patterns.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-22960 extends beyond simple service disruption, potentially enabling broader security compromise scenarios within Lexmark device environments. Organizations utilizing affected Lexmark products face significant risks including unauthorized access, service degradation, and potential data exposure through exploitation of the frequency control weakness. The vulnerability creates opportunities for attackers to perform resource exhaustion attacks that could lead to complete device unavailability, impacting business operations and potentially exposing sensitive information processed through these devices. Network administrators must consider the implications of this vulnerability across their entire print infrastructure, as compromised devices can serve as entry points for lateral movement within corporate networks. The vulnerability also impacts the integrity of print jobs and system operations, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate or corrupt data processing workflows.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-22960 should focus on implementing robust rate limiting mechanisms and interaction frequency controls within Lexmark device configurations. Organizations should immediately apply available firmware updates from Lexmark to address the identified vulnerability, while also implementing network-level controls to monitor and restrict excessive interaction patterns. Security teams should deploy intrusion detection systems capable of identifying abnormal interaction frequency patterns and establish baseline behaviors for normal device operation. The implementation of proper access controls and authentication mechanisms can help reduce the attack surface, while network segmentation can limit the potential impact of exploitation. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all affected Lexmark products within their environment and establish monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves resource exhaustion via manipulation of interaction frequency, and represents a critical concern for organizations managing networked printing infrastructure.