Incident: HP LaserJet Printers Vulnerable to Remote Hacking and Overheating

Published Date: 2011-11-29

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident happened in November 2011. [54846, 9038, 9205]
System 1. HP LaserJet printers with the "Remote Firmware Update" feature [54846, 9038, 9205]
Responsible Organization 1. Hewlett-Packard (HP) [54846, 9038, 9205]
Impacted Organization 1. Consumers who purchased HP LaserJet printers affected by the security flaw [54846, 9038] 2. Networks connected to the compromised HP printers [54846, 9038] 3. Researchers at Colombia University's School of Engineering and Applied Science who discovered the vulnerability [54846, 9038]
Software Causes 1. Lack of digital signatures in the software on HP printers that allowed for updates over the Internet, making them vulnerable to malicious software reprogramming [54846, 9038]. 2. Vulnerability in the design of HP's LaserJet printer models that allowed for remote firmware upgrades without requiring digital signatures to verify authenticity, enabling attackers to send specially crafted files containing malicious code [9038, 9205]. 3. The "Remote Firmware Update" feature in HP printers that checked for software updates whenever a new printing job started, potentially allowing hackers to install customized firmware for full control of the printer [9038, 9205].
Non-software Causes 1. Lack of digital signatures in the firmware update process, allowing for unauthorized modifications [54846, 9038, 9205] 2. Design flaw in the printers that did not include a 'thermal switch' to prevent overheating and potential physical damage [54846] 3. Vulnerability in the Remote Firmware Update feature of the printers, enabling hackers to gain control [9038, 9205] 4. Insufficient security measures in the printers, making them susceptible to hacking attacks [9038, 9205] 5. Inadequate detection mechanisms for breaches in the printers' firmware [9205]
Impacts 1. The software failure incident involving Hewlett-Packard printers allowed hackers to potentially steal data, take control of networks, and even cause physical damage to the printers through overheating, as reported in [54846]. 2. The vulnerability in HP printers could be exploited to remotely control the printers, steal personal information, attack secure networks, and cause physical damage by overheating the printers, as highlighted in [9038]. 3. The flaw in HP printers allowed attackers to send specially crafted files containing malicious code to the printers, potentially leading to the printers bursting in flames or being used as a launchpad to attack other connected computers, as detailed in [9038]. 4. Researchers demonstrated how attackers could exploit the vulnerability to control the printer's fuser, causing it to heat up continuously until the paper inside the printer turned brown and began to smoke, potentially leading to fires, as mentioned in [9038]. 5. The software failure incident raised concerns about the security of networked printers, highlighting the potential for hackers to steal personal data, access secure networks, and cause fires through deliberate overheating, as discussed in [9205].
Preventions 1. Implementing digital signature technology in printers to verify the authenticity of software upgrades [54846, 9038, 9205]. 2. Conducting thorough security assessments and testing of the firmware update features in printers to identify vulnerabilities [9038, 9205]. 3. Ensuring that printers have robust security measures in place to prevent unauthorized access and malicious firmware updates [54846, 9038, 9205]. 4. Regularly updating firmware with security patches and fixes to address known vulnerabilities [54846, 9038, 9205]. 5. Providing clear and transparent information to consumers about potential security risks associated with the product [54846].
Fixes 1. Implementing digital signature technology in printers to verify the authenticity of software upgrades [54846, 9038, 9205]. 2. Requiring firmware upgrades to be authenticated before installation to prevent malicious reprogramming of printer software [54846, 9038, 9205]. 3. Developing and deploying a firmware upgrade to protect printers against potential threats [54846, 9038, 9205].
References 1. Researchers in the computer science department at Colombia University's School of Engineering and Applied Science [54846] 2. Researchers Salvatore Stolfo and Ang Cui [9038] 3. HP's chief technologist for the printer division, Keith Moore [9205]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident related to security vulnerabilities in HP printers has happened again within the same organization. The incident involved a security flaw in HP's LaserJet printers that allowed hackers to remotely control the printers, steal data, and even cause physical damage by overheating the printers [54846, 9038, 9205]. (b) The software failure incident involving security vulnerabilities in printers has also been reported at other organizations. The vulnerability discovered in HP printers was highlighted by researchers at Columbia University, indicating that similar security flaws may exist in other printer models as well [9038, 9205].
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident occurring due to the development phases: - The software failure incident reported in the articles is primarily related to a design flaw in Hewlett-Packard printers. The vulnerability stems from the fact that the software on the printers that allows for updates over the Internet does not use digital signatures to verify the authenticity of any software upgrades or modifications downloaded to the printers [54846]. This design defect renders the printers highly vulnerable to attacks by hackers, allowing them to remotely control the printers, steal personal information, attack secure networks, and even cause physical damage to the printers through overheating [54846]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to the operation: - The software failure incident also involves aspects related to the operation of the printers. The flaw allows attackers to send specially crafted files to the printers that contain malicious code, which can be done remotely if the computer is configured to print jobs sent to it over the internet [9038]. This operation-related vulnerability enables hackers to exploit the printers to steal data, cause them to overheat, or use them as a launchpad to attack other connected computers [9038].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system, outside_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the HP LaserJet printers was primarily due to contributing factors that originated from within the system. The vulnerability stemmed from a design flaw in the printers' firmware that allowed for remote firmware updates without requiring digital signatures to verify the authenticity of the upgrades. This flaw enabled hackers to send specially crafted files containing malicious code to the printers, granting them full control over the devices [54846, 9038, 9205]. (b) outside_system: The software failure incident also had contributing factors that originated from outside the system. Hackers were able to exploit the vulnerability in the HP printers by sending malicious firmware updates remotely, taking advantage of the printers' lack of digital signature verification for upgrades. This external factor allowed attackers to compromise the printers and potentially steal data, cause physical damage, or use the printers as launchpads for further attacks [54846, 9038, 9205].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The software failure incident in the articles is primarily due to a security vulnerability in Hewlett-Packard printers that allows hackers to exploit the firmware remotely without requiring human intervention [9038, 9205]. - The flaw lies in the design of HP's LaserJet printer models, which permits the firmware on the printers to be upgraded remotely, enabling attackers to send specially crafted files containing malicious code to the printer [9038]. - The printers lack digital signatures to verify the authenticity of firmware upgrades, making it relatively easy for hackers to exploit the vulnerability [9038]. - Researchers demonstrated how attackers could control a printer's fuser, causing it to heat up continuously until the paper inside the printer turned brown and began to smoke [9038]. - The security issue was raised by researchers at Colombia University's School of Engineering and Applied Science, highlighting the vulnerability in the printers' "Remote Firmware Update" feature [54846]. - The flaw allows hackers to remotely control the printers, steal personal information, attack secure networks, and even cause physical damage to the printers [54846]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - The software failure incident is not directly attributed to human actions but rather to the vulnerability in the design of the printers and the lack of digital signatures to authenticate firmware upgrades [9038, 9205]. - The vulnerability was discovered by researchers at Colombia University, indicating that the flaw was inherent in the printers' functionality and not introduced by human actions [54846]. - HP refuted some of the researchers' claims and stated that the hack would be difficult to execute, suggesting that the vulnerability was not intentionally introduced by human actions [9038, 9205]. - HP mentioned that printers produced since 2009 include digital signatures to verify firmware upgrades, indicating a proactive measure taken by the company to address the vulnerability [9038].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware, software (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - The incident involving Hewlett-Packard printers had a security flaw that could allow hackers to cause physical damage to the printers through overheating. The flaw was related to the printers' fuser, a component that dries the ink, heating up continuously until the paper inside the printer turned brown and began to smoke. A thermal switch shut the printer down before the paper caught fire, but the researchers mentioned that other printers might be used to start fires [54846, 9038]. - HP LaserJet printers have a hardware element called a "thermal breaker" designed to prevent the fuser from overheating or causing a fire. This hardware element cannot be overcome by a firmware change or the proposed vulnerability [54846]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - The vulnerability in HP's LaserJet printer models allowed hackers to install customized firmware remotely, granting them full control of the printer. The flaw was related to the firmware not requiring a digital signature to verify the authenticity of upgrades, enabling attackers to send specially crafted files containing malicious code to the printer [9038]. - The incident highlighted a flaw in the design of HP printers that allowed for remote firmware upgrades without digital signatures, making it relatively easy for hackers to spoof the printer with malicious firmware. The lack of digital signatures in the firmware update process was a key software-related vulnerability exploited by attackers [9205].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The software failure incident in the articles is malicious in nature. The incident involves a security vulnerability in Hewlett-Packard printers that could allow hackers to steal data, take control of networks, and even cause physical damage to the printers through overheating. The flaw allows attackers to remotely install customized firmware on the printers, granting them full control. Researchers demonstrated how a compromised printer's fuser could be controlled to heat up continuously, causing the paper to smoke and turn brown, potentially leading to physical damage [54846, 9038, 9205]. (b) The incident does not involve a non-malicious software failure.
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions (a) The software failure incident related to the HP printers' security flaw can be attributed to poor decisions made by HP. The incident involved the printers being highly vulnerable to attacks by hackers due to a design defect that allowed for malicious software to be reprogrammed onto the printers without detection [54846]. The flaw stemmed from the lack of digital signatures to authenticate software upgrades, which enabled hackers to remotely control the printers, steal data, attack networks, and even cause physical damage to the printers [54846]. Despite the availability of digital signature technology in printers since 2009, the lawsuit claimed that tens of millions of HP printers were affected by this vulnerability [54846]. (b) The software failure incident can also be linked to accidental decisions or unintended consequences. The vulnerability in the HP printers, discovered by researchers at Columbia University, highlighted how Internet-connected printers could be exploited by hackers to steal data, access networks, or even cause fires through deliberate overheating [9038]. The flaw in the printers' firmware upgrade process, which lacked digital signatures to verify authenticity, allowed attackers to remotely send malicious code to the printers, leading to potential security breaches and physical damage [9038]. Despite HP's efforts to address the vulnerability with firmware upgrades, the incident underscored the serious implications of overlooking security measures in printer design and software updates [9038].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence (a) The software failure incident occurring due to development incompetence: - The software failure incident involving HP LaserJet printers was due to a security flaw in the design of the printers that allowed hackers to exploit the firmware update feature [54846, 9038]. - The vulnerability stemmed from the lack of digital signatures to authenticate software upgrades, which enabled hackers to reprogram the printers' software with malicious software without detection [54846]. - Researchers from Columbia University's School of Engineering and Applied Science highlighted the vulnerability in the printers' "Remote Firmware Update" feature, which could be exploited by hackers to gain full control of the printer [54846, 9038]. - HP had been aware of the security issue but did not address it adequately, leading to the lawsuit alleging that HP knowingly sold printers with a design defect that made them highly vulnerable to attacks by hackers [54846]. (b) The software failure incident occurring accidentally: - The software failure incident involving HP printers was not accidental but rather a result of a security vulnerability in the design of the printers that allowed for remote firmware updates without proper authentication [54846, 9038]. - The lack of digital signatures to verify the authenticity of firmware upgrades was a deliberate design flaw that could be exploited by hackers to take control of the printers and potentially cause physical damage [54846]. - HP disputed some of the researchers' claims about the severity of the vulnerability, suggesting that the hack would be difficult to execute and downplaying the potential impact [9038]. - HP stated that it was working on a firmware upgrade to address the threat posed by the vulnerability, indicating a proactive response to the incident rather than an accidental introduction of the flaw [54846, 9038].
Duration permanent, temporary (a) The software failure incident related to the security vulnerability in Hewlett-Packard printers was considered permanent. The vulnerability stemmed from a design flaw in the printers that allowed hackers to remotely install malicious firmware, granting them full control over the printers [9038, 9205]. This flaw was not easily fixable, and once a printer was compromised, any attempted fix would be ineffective as the hackers would maintain control over the firmware indefinitely [9038]. HP was working on a firmware upgrade to address the vulnerability, but the issue was deemed serious and challenging to resolve [9205]. (b) The software failure incident was also temporary in the sense that printers produced since 2009 included digital signature technology to verify firmware upgrades, addressing the flaw [9038, 9205]. This means that newer printer models were not vulnerable to the same security issue, indicating that the temporary nature of the failure was limited to older printer models lacking this security feature.
Behaviour crash, omission, byzantine, other (a) crash: - Article 54846 mentions a vulnerability in HP printers that could allow hackers to remotely control the printers, steal data, and even cause physical damage by overheating the printers. This vulnerability could lead to a crash scenario where the system loses control and may not perform its intended functions properly [54846]. (b) omission: - The vulnerability in HP printers discussed in Article 54846 and Article 9038 highlights a scenario where the printers may omit performing their intended functions by allowing hackers to install malicious firmware and take control of the printers, potentially leading to data theft and physical damage [54846, 9038]. (c) timing: - There is no specific mention of a timing-related failure in the articles provided. (d) value: - The articles do not directly mention a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. (e) byzantine: - The vulnerability in HP printers described in the articles could lead to a byzantine behavior where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions, as hackers could remotely control the printers, steal data, and potentially cause physical damage through overheating [54846, 9038]. (f) other: - The vulnerability in HP printers discussed in the articles could also lead to other types of failures not explicitly mentioned in the options, such as a security breach that compromises the integrity and confidentiality of data processed by the printers [54846, 9038, 9205].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception sensor, actuator, processing_unit, network_communication, embedded_software (a) sensor: Failure due to contributing factors introduced by sensor error - The vulnerability in HP printers allowed hackers to control the printer's fuser, causing it to heat up continuously until the paper inside turned brown and began to smoke. A thermal switch shut the printer down before the paper caught fire, indicating a sensor failure to prevent overheating [Article 9038]. (b) actuator: Failure due to contributing factors introduced by actuator error - The vulnerability in HP printers allowed hackers to control the printer's fuser, which is an actuator responsible for drying the ink on paper. The hackers could cause the fuser to heat up continuously, leading to potential physical damage to the printer [Article 9038]. (c) processing_unit: Failure due to contributing factors introduced by processing error - The flaw in HP printers allowed hackers to install customized firmware that granted them full control of the printer, indicating a processing error in handling firmware updates [Article 9038]. (d) network_communication: Failure due to contributing factors introduced by network communication error - The vulnerability in HP printers allowed attackers to send specially crafted files to the printer remotely over the internet, exploiting the lack of digital signatures in the firmware update process. This indicates a failure in network communication security [Article 9038]. (e) embedded_software: Failure due to contributing factors introduced by embedded software error - The vulnerability in HP printers stemmed from a design flaw in the software that allowed for updates over the Internet without using digital signatures to verify the authenticity of the software upgrades. This flaw in the embedded software enabled hackers to reprogram the printers' software with malicious software without detection [Article 54846].
Communication connectivity_level The software failure incident related to the communication layer of the cyber physical system that failed was at the connectivity_level. This failure was due to contributing factors introduced by the network or transport layer. The articles mention that the vulnerability in Hewlett-Packard printers allowed hackers to exploit the "Remote Firmware Update" feature, which checks for software updates whenever a new printing job starts, to install customized firmware remotely and gain full control of the printer [9038, 9205]. This vulnerability was related to the network layer as it allowed attackers to send specially crafted files containing malicious code to the printers over the internet, exploiting the lack of digital signatures to verify the authenticity of firmware upgrades [9038, 9205]. The flaw in the design of HP printers, particularly the LaserJet models, enabled hackers to manipulate the firmware and potentially cause physical damage, such as overheating the printer components [9038, 9205]. Therefore, the software failure incident in this case was primarily at the connectivity_level, involving vulnerabilities at the network or transport layer that allowed for unauthorized access and control of the printers.
Application TRUE The software failure incident related to the application layer of the cyber physical system that failed is described in the articles as a security vulnerability in Hewlett-Packard printers that allowed hackers to exploit the firmware update feature to remotely control the printers and potentially cause physical damage [Article 54846, Article 9038, Article 9205]. This vulnerability was due to a design flaw in the printers' software that did not require digital signatures to verify the authenticity of firmware upgrades, enabling attackers to send malicious code to the printers remotely. The flaw allowed hackers to take control of the printers, manipulate the fuser component to overheat, and potentially cause the paper to smoke and turn brown, as demonstrated by researchers from Columbia University [Article 54846, Article 9038, Article 9205].

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence harm, property, non-human, theoretical_consequence (a) death: There were no reports of people losing their lives due to the software failure incident in the articles. (b) harm: The software failure incident could potentially cause physical harm as mentioned in the articles. For example, the flaw in HP printers could lead to printers overheating and causing physical damage, such as smoking and turning brown due to continuous heating of the fuser component [54846, 9038]. (c) basic: There were no reports of people's access to food or shelter being impacted due to the software failure incident in the articles. (d) property: The software failure incident could impact people's material goods, money, or data. For instance, the security flaw in HP printers allowed hackers to potentially steal data, take control of networks, and cause physical damage to the printers [54846, 9038]. (e) delay: There were no reports of people having to postpone an activity due to the software failure incident in the articles. (f) non-human: Non-human entities, specifically HP printers, were impacted by the software failure incident. The flaw in the printers allowed for potential attacks by hackers, control of the printers, and physical damage to the printers themselves [54846, 9038]. (g) no_consequence: There were observed consequences of the software failure incident, particularly related to security vulnerabilities in HP printers. (h) theoretical_consequence: The articles discussed potential consequences of the software failure incident that did not occur, such as the possibility of printers being used to launch fires or the difficulty in detecting and removing malicious firmware once a printer is compromised [9038]. (i) other: The articles did not mention any other specific consequences of the software failure incident.
Domain information, health (a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is related to the information industry, specifically in the context of printer technology. The vulnerability in Hewlett-Packard printers allowed hackers to exploit the firmware update feature to gain control of the printers, steal data, and even cause physical damage [Article 54846, Article 9038, Article 9205]. (j) The incident also has implications for the health industry as compromised printers could potentially be used to steal personal data, access secure networks, and cause physical harm through overheating, posing risks to healthcare organizations that rely on printers for various functions [Article 9038, Article 9205]. (m) The software failure incident is not directly related to any other industry mentioned in the options provided.

Sources

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