CVE-2022-28722 is a critical buffer overflow vulnerability affecting certain HP inkjet printers, HP LaserJet Pro printers, and HP PageWide Pro printers. Buffer overflow vulnerabilities occur when a program writes more data to a buffer than it can hold, potentially overwriting adjacent memory. This can lead to arbitrary code execution, denial of service, or system compromise. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without requiring authentication or user interaction, as indicated by the CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N). The CVSS score of 9.8 reflects the high severity, with potential full impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). The affected products span multiple versions, though specific firmware versions are not detailed here. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-120, which corresponds to classic buffer overflow issues. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the published date, but the ease of exploitation and critical impact make this a significant threat. The lack of available patches at the time of this report increases the urgency for affected organizations to monitor HP advisories and implement compensating controls. Given that printers are often network-connected and sometimes overlooked in security policies, this vulnerability presents a risk of attackers gaining unauthorized access or disrupting printing services, potentially as a foothold into broader network environments.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial. Printers are ubiquitous in office environments and often connected to corporate networks without stringent security controls. Exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on the printer, potentially leading to interception or manipulation of print jobs, disruption of printing services, or pivoting into internal networks to escalate attacks. Confidential information sent to printers could be exposed or altered, affecting data confidentiality and integrity. The availability of printing services could be disrupted, impacting business operations. In sectors with high regulatory requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government, such a compromise could lead to compliance violations and reputational damage. Additionally, given the critical CVSS score and network exploitability without authentication, the threat could be leveraged by cybercriminals or state-sponsored actors targeting European enterprises. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the risk remains high due to the vulnerability's nature and potential impact.

1. Immediate inventory and identification of all HP inkjet, LaserJet Pro, and PageWide Pro printers within the network to assess exposure. 2. Monitor HP's official security advisories and firmware update channels closely for patches addressing CVE-2022-28722 and apply them promptly once available. 3. Implement network segmentation to isolate printers from critical network segments, limiting potential lateral movement by attackers. 4. Restrict network access to printers by applying firewall rules or access control lists (ACLs) that only allow trusted hosts or management stations to communicate with printers. 5. Disable unnecessary network protocols and services on printers to reduce the attack surface. 6. Employ network intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to monitor for anomalous traffic patterns targeting printers. 7. Educate IT and security teams about the risk and ensure printers are included in vulnerability management and patching cycles. 8. Consider deploying endpoint detection solutions capable of monitoring printer behavior if supported. 9. Where possible, use secure printing features and encrypted communication channels to protect print data confidentiality. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on network-level controls, operational awareness, and proactive monitoring tailored to printer security.