CVE-2024-29146 is a vulnerability identified in multiple Sharp Corporation multifunction printers (MFPs) whereby user passwords are decrypted and stored in the device's memory before any user logs in. This decrypted password data can be retrieved from coredump files generated by the device, which may be accessible to an attacker with network access or physical access to the device. The vulnerability does not require prior authentication or user interaction, increasing its risk profile. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.9, reflecting a network attack vector (AV:N), high attack complexity (AC:H), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), high confidentiality impact (C:H), no integrity impact (I:N), and no availability impact (A:N). The core issue is the insecure handling of sensitive credentials in memory, which can be exposed through memory dumps. While no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability could be leveraged by attackers to obtain user credentials, potentially facilitating unauthorized access to the printer or connected network resources. The affected product versions are detailed by Sharp Corporation in their advisories, and organizations should consult these for precise identification of impacted devices. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure credential management in embedded devices such as MFPs, which are often overlooked in enterprise security strategies.

For European organizations, the exposure of decrypted user passwords from Sharp MFPs could lead to unauthorized access to the printers themselves and potentially lateral movement within the corporate network if the same credentials are reused or if the printer is integrated with network authentication systems. Confidentiality is the primary concern, as sensitive credentials could be harvested without alerting users or administrators. This could facilitate further attacks such as data exfiltration, interception of print jobs containing sensitive information, or use of the printer as a foothold for broader network compromise. The lack of integrity and availability impact means the device's operation is not directly disrupted, but the confidentiality breach alone can have serious consequences, especially in regulated industries like finance, healthcare, and government sectors prevalent in Europe. The medium severity rating suggests that while exploitation is not trivial due to high attack complexity, the potential damage from credential exposure warrants prompt attention. Organizations with large deployments of Sharp MFPs or those in critical infrastructure sectors should prioritize assessment and mitigation to reduce risk.

1. Immediately review Sharp Corporation’s official advisories and apply any available firmware updates or patches addressing CVE-2024-29146. 2. Restrict network access to MFP management interfaces and disable unnecessary services to reduce exposure. 3. Limit physical access to devices to prevent unauthorized extraction of memory dumps or coredump files. 4. Implement network segmentation to isolate MFPs from sensitive network segments and critical assets. 5. Monitor logs and network traffic for unusual access patterns or attempts to retrieve memory dumps. 6. Enforce strong, unique passwords for device accounts and avoid credential reuse across systems. 7. Consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting anomalous activities related to MFPs. 8. Educate IT and security teams about the risks of credential exposure in embedded devices and incorporate MFPs into regular vulnerability management and security audits. 9. If possible, disable coredump generation or secure storage locations to prevent unauthorized access to memory snapshots. 10. Coordinate with Sharp support for guidance on secure configuration and incident response procedures related to this vulnerability.