Full Report
A total of 689 printer models from Brother, along with 53 other models from Fujifilm, Toshiba, and Konica Minolta, come with a default administrator password that remote attackers can generate. Even worse, there is no way to fix the flaw via firmware in existing printers. [...]
Analysis Summary
# Vulnerability: Predictable Default Admin Passwords in Brother Printers (and others)
## CVE Details
- CVE ID: CVE-2024-51978 (Associated with the broader issue affecting multiple vendors)
- CVSS Score: Not explicitly provided in the text, but described as a severe risk management issue rooted in manufacturing.
- CWE: CWE-259 (Use of Hard-coded Passwords) or similar weakness related to predictable credential generation.
## Affected Systems
- Products: Brother printers (689 models), Konica Minolta, Fujifilm, Ricoh, and Toshiba devices manufactured before the fix was implemented.
- Versions: All devices manufactured prior to the fix for this specific password generation logic flaw.
- Configurations: Any device running production firmware where the default administrative password was generated using the flawed logic.
## Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability stems from a flaw in the password generation logic used during the hardware manufacturing process for many printer models across several major vendors. This results in predictable default administrative passwords for the web interface/management console of these devices. If users have not manually changed these default credentials, an attacker who knows the vulnerability can likely log in with administrative privileges. Brother specifically stated this vulnerability **cannot be fully remediated by firmware updates alone**, requiring changes to the manufacturing process for future devices.
## Exploitation
- Status: Not explicitly stated as exploited in the wild, but the low complexity and predictable nature suggest a high risk for compromise.
- Complexity: Low (Knowledge of the product line and the flaw allows for successful remote authentication).
- Attack Vector: Network (Accessing the printer's management interface over the network).
## Impact
- Confidentiality: High (Gaining administrative access allows viewing of printer configuration, management settings, and potentially intercepted print jobs/data depending on device configuration).
- Integrity: High (Ability to modify settings, potentially redirecting print jobs or altering device behavior).
- Availability: Medium (Potential for denial of service or reconfiguring the device to stop operational functionality).
## Remediation
### Patches
Users must apply the latest firmware updates released by their respective manufacturers. Specific patches are tied to the following advisories:
- Brother
- Konica Minolta
- Fujifilm
- Ricoh
- Toshiba
### Workarounds
1. **Immediate Action:** Users of existing affected models must *immediately* change the default administrative password provided at setup.
2. **Network Restriction:** Restrict access to the printer's administrative interfaces to trusted networks only, ideally preventing access over unsecured protocols or external networks.
## Detection
- Indicators of compromise: Unauthorized changes to printer configurations, unusual login attempts to the administrative interface.
- Detection methods and tools: Monitoring network traffic to the printer management interface for successful logins from unexpected sources, or auditing current administrative credentials against known weak/default passwords.
## References
- Brother Advisory: hxxps://support[.]brother[.]com/g/b/faqend[.]aspx?c=us&lang=en&prod=group2&faqid=faq00100846_000
- Konica Minolta Advisory: hxxps://www[.]konicaminolta[.]com/global-en/security/advisory/pdf/km-2025-0001[.]pdf
- Fujifilm Advisory: hxxps://www[.]fujifilm[.]com/fbglobal/eng/company/news/notice/2025/0625_announce[.]html
- Ricoh Advisory: hxxps://www[.]ricoh[.]com/products/security/vulnerabilities/vul?id=ricoh-2025-000007
- Toshiba Advisory: hxxps://www[.]toshibatec[.]com/information/20250625_02[.]html