Here’s How to Stay One Step Ahead:
It’s 2025. We have got AI writing code, cars driving themselves, and refrigerators that tell us when the milk’s gone bad. And yet, one of the biggest cybersecurity stories of the year is not about quantum computers or space satellites, it’s about office printers.
Yes, printers. The beige boxes in the corner of the office that most people only think about when they are out of toner.
This summer, researchers uncovered a hardware-level flaw that affects millions of business printers worldwide. It is the kind of vulnerability that makes security pros sit up straighter, because unlike most software bugs, this one can’t be patched away.
Before you panic and start wrapping your office hardware in tinfoil, let’s break down exactly what is going on, how serious the risk really is, and what smart companies are doing right now to protect themselves.
The Discovery That Got Everyone Talking
The story starts with Rapid7, a well-known cybersecurity firm that’s made a name for itself by finding and responsibly disclosing big vulnerabilities. While examining enterprise office printers, their researchers stumbled onto something unsettling:
Over 740 printer models, mostly from Brother, but also from Fujifilm, Ricoh, Toshiba, and Konica Minolta, use a predictable algorithm to generate their default administrator password.
That algorithm? It is based on the printer’s serial number.
At first glance, it might sound harmless. But here is the problem:
- The serial number is often visible or easily retrievable on a network.
- If a bad actor knows the algorithm (and now they do), they can calculate the admin password in seconds.
- Once logged in as admin, they have full control over the device.
And remember, we are talking about network-connected printers, devices that can store documents, manage print jobs, and sometimes even integrate with cloud storage or email.
CVE-2024-51978: Why This One’s Different
This flaw has an official designation: CVE-2024-51978. And unlike the usual “apply this update and you’re good” vulnerabilities, this one lives at the hardware level.
That means:
- The password-generation logic is hardcoded into the device.
- Firmware updates cannot rewrite it.
- Even fully updated printers are still affected, if they are using the default login system.
Brother and the other affected manufacturers have issued updates to address related issues such as information disclosure or (DOS) denial of service attacks. But the core password flaw remains.
It is like locking your front door, replacing the windows, and adding an alarm, but still leaving the original key under the doormat.
Should You Be Worried?
The answer depends on your setup. To exploit this flaw, an attacker needs three things:
- Network access to the printer, either through the local network or remotely.
- The serial number can be easily found if the printer’s services (like SNMP or PJL) are exposed.
- Default credentials are still in place, meaning no one has ever changed the admin password from the factory setting.
If your printers are:
- Isolated on an internal network (no internet exposure),
- Locked behind a firewall, and
- Using strong, custom admin passwords,
then your real-world risk is low.
But if you have network-connected printers with default credentials, especially if they are accessible from outside your corporate network, then you have a fundamental problem that needs addressing now, not later.
Why Printer Security Matters More Than You Think
Many businesses overlook printer security because they see them as “dumb” devices. In reality, modern office printers are fully-fledged networked computers. They have operating systems, onboard storage, and sometimes even web-based management consoles.
If compromised, a malicious actor could:
- Steal sensitive documents stored in the printer’s memory.
- Intercept print jobs to capture confidential information.
- Use the printer as a foothold into the rest of your corporate network.
- Launch attacks on other devices connected to the same network.
And because printers are rarely monitored as closely as laptops or servers, breaches can go undetected for months, or even years.
The Good News: This Is Fixable
You can’t change the fact that the password algorithm exists, but you can neutralize its usefulness with some straightforward actions.
Step 1: Change Default Admin Credentials
This is the single most important step. If the attacker’s “calculated” password doesn’t work, they’re locked out. Make sure every printer in your organization has:
- A strong, unique admin password.
- No reused passwords across devices.
Step 2: Disable Remote Management (If You Don’t Need It)
If your printers don’t need to be managed from outside your local network, turn off remote access entirely.
Step 3: Restrict Network Exposure
Put printers on an internal VLAN that’s isolated from public-facing systems. Only allow management traffic from authorized devices.
Step 4: Apply All Other Vendor Patches
While the default password issue can’t be patched away, related vulnerabilities can. Check your vendor’s official security advisories regularly, especially Brother’s if you own affected models.
Step 5: Review of Printer Security in Your IT Policy
Make printer configuration and password changes part of your standard IT onboarding process. Treat them like you would a new laptop or router.
Why This Vulnerability Won’t Just “Fade Away”
Unlike software bugs that eventually disappear when everyone updates, hardware-level issues can linger for years. Printers are often replaced on multi-year cycles, meaning many vulnerable devices will still be in service well into the late 2020s.
That’s why the fix has to be policy-based every time a new printer comes into the building, your team should contact Total PC so we can:
- Change the admin credentials.
- Lock down network access.
- Disable unnecessary services.
Avoiding the “Set It and Forget It” Trap
Printer security isn’t a one-and-done task. Over time, settings can get changed, new vulnerabilities can be discovered, and old policies can be forgotten.
Total PC is constantly performing:
- Running device audits, checking firmware, passwords, and network exposure.
- Integrating printers into vulnerability scans, treating them like any other endpoint.
What smart companies can do:
- Training staff — so even non-IT team members know not to share admin passwords or plug printers into unsecured networks.
The Bigger Lesson
The CVE-2024-51978 story isn’t just about printers. It’s a reminder that any network-connected device can be a security risk, even if it’s not the flashiest piece of tech in the office.
Printers just happen to be the overlooked elephants in the room: used by everyone, managed by few, and rarely updated unless something breaks.
What to Do Today if you are not on a service contract with Total PC
If you’re a business owner or even the unofficial “tech person” in your office, here’s your quick action list for today:
- Inventory every network-connected printer: model, serial number, firmware version.
- Change admin credentials on all of them.
- Limit access, allow internal network only, if possible.
- Update firmware to the latest available version.
- Document everything so you can repeat the process regularly.
Brought to You by Total PC
This security advisory is brought to you by Total PC, helping businesses stay safe and competitive in a connected world.
From network security and support to VoIP services, AI solutions, and custom development, we help clients in:
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing
- Financial services
- Retail
Our team can help you secure your network-connected devices, from printers to servers, so vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-51978 never put your business at risk.
📞 Call: 386.868.2572
🌐 Contact us: totalpc.com/contact-us
