CISA Flags PaperCut NG/MF Vulnerability as Actively Exploited

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has officially added a critical cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting PaperCut NG/MF print management software to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. This move comes in response to evidence of active exploitation in the wild, highlighting the immediate threat posed by CVE-2023-2533, which carries a CVSS score of 8.4 and can lead to remote code execution.

Critical PaperCut Vulnerability Added to CISA's Exploited List

CISA's alert specifies that the CSRF vulnerability in PaperCut NG/MF, a widely used print management solution in educational institutions, businesses, and government offices, could allow attackers to alter security settings or execute arbitrary code under certain conditions. The software's admin console often resides on internal web servers, making a successful exploit a potential gateway for attackers to infiltrate broader organizational systems.

How the Attack Works

In a typical attack scenario, a threat actor could trick a logged-in administrator into clicking a malicious link. This could be delivered via a phishing email or a compromised website. The crafted link would then exploit the CSRF flaw, leading to unauthorized changes or code execution without the administrator's explicit consent. While the exact methods of exploitation in real-world attacks are not yet fully detailed, the potential for attackers to leverage this vulnerability for initial access is significant.

Key Takeaways

• Active Exploitation: The vulnerability (CVE-2023-2533) is already being exploited in the wild.

• Remote Code Execution: Successful exploitation can lead to attackers executing arbitrary code on affected systems.

• Target Audience: PaperCut NG/MF is used by schools, businesses, and government offices.

• Attack Vector: Exploitation typically involves tricking an authenticated admin user into interacting with a malicious link.

• Mitigation: Patching is crucial, but organizations should also review session timeouts, restrict admin access, and enforce strong CSRF token validation.

Mitigation and Compliance Mandates

Organizations using PaperCut NG/MF are strongly advised to apply necessary updates immediately. Beyond patching, CISA recommends implementing additional security measures such as reviewing session timeouts, restricting administrative access to known IP addresses, and enforcing robust CSRF token validation. Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies are mandated to update their PaperCut instances to a patched version by August 18, 2025, as per Binding Operational Directive (BOD) 22-01. Security teams are encouraged to align detection rules with MITRE ATT&CK techniques like T1190 (Exploit Public-Facing Application) and T1071 (Application Layer Protocol) to enhance their defense strategies and track potential incidents.

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Sources

• CISA Adds PaperCut NG/MF CSRF Vulnerability to KEV Catalog Amid Active Exploitation, The Hacker News.