Canon Marketing Japan Inc. and Canon Inc. have issued an important security update regarding a vulnerability in certain printer drivers. This Canon vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-1268, affects a range of Canon printer models, including production printers, office multifunction devices, and small office multifunction devices.
The flaw was discovered in Canon printer drivers, specifically the Generic Plus series, which includes several common drivers used by both home and office users.
Overview of the Canon Vulnerability (CVE-2025-1268)
The issue stems from a buffer overflow in Canon printer drivers when a print job is processed by a specially crafted application. Under certain conditions, this flaw could allow unauthorized code to be executed on the affected systems. However, the frequency of this exploit is considered to be extremely low, and Canon has emphasized that there have been no confirmed cases of this vulnerability being actively exploited.
This flaw is a classic example of an out-of-bounds vulnerability, which can lead to unintended behavior in software. In this case, it could prevent printing or potentially allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on the system.
Affected Printer Drivers
The vulnerability affects the following printer drivers:
- Generic Plus PCL6 Printer Driver – Version 3.12 and earlier
- Generic Plus UFR II Printer Driver – Version 3.12 and earlier
- Generic Plus LIPS4 Printer Driver – Version 3.12 and earlier
- Generic Plus LIPSLX Printer Driver – Version 3.12 and earlier
- Generic Plus PS Printer Driver – Version 3.12 and earlier
These printer drivers are commonly used in a wide variety of Canon printer models, including production printers, office multifunction printers, small office multifunction printers, and laser printers.
The Security Impact of CVE-2025-1268
The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it has the potential to be exploited by malicious actors through a crafted application that interacts with these vulnerable Canon printer drivers.
According to the CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System), the severity of this issue is rated at 9.4 (on a scale of 0 to 10), which places it in the critical category.
The CVSS 3.1 score for this vulnerability is as follows:
- Base Score: 9.4
- Vector: AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
This score indicates a high impact on confidentiality and integrity, as well as a low requirement for user interaction, making it a relatively easy vulnerability for attackers to exploit if the proper conditions are met.
Canon’s Response and Recommendations
While there have been no known instances of this vulnerability being actively exploited, Canon strongly advises users to take action to mitigate potential risks. The company has recommended updating the affected printer drivers to the latest versions available. These updates, which contain fixes for the Canon printer vulnerability, can be downloaded from the official Canon websites or through local Canon sales representatives.
Conclusion
The discovery of this vulnerability by Robert Ord in collaboration with the Microsoft Offensive Research and Security Engineering (MORSE) Team highlights the critical role of security researchers in identifying and addressing potential risks in connected devices like printers.
While the immediate threat may be low, the potential for damage highlights the importance of regularly updating Canon printer drivers to maintain network security.
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