CVE-2024-47176 affects the cups-browsed component of the OpenPrinting system, which is responsible for network printing functionalities including auto-discovery of print services and shared printers. The vulnerability arises because cups-browsed binds its listening socket to INADDR_ANY on port 631, meaning it listens on all network interfaces without restriction. This design flaw allows the service to accept IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) requests from any source IP address, including potentially malicious external hosts. Specifically, an attacker can send a crafted Get-Printer-Attributes IPP request to a URL controlled by the attacker. While this alone does not directly lead to code execution, it sets the stage for exploitation when combined with other vulnerabilities in the same component (CVE-2024-47076, CVE-2024-47175, CVE-2024-47177). Together, these vulnerabilities enable an attacker to execute arbitrary commands remotely on the target system without requiring authentication or user interaction. The affected versions are cups-browsed versions up to 2.0.1. The CVSS v3.1 score is 5.3 (medium), reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, and limited impact on integrity but no impact on confidentiality or availability. No patches or exploits are currently publicly available, but the vulnerability is published and should be addressed promptly. The root cause is categorized under CWE-1327, which involves binding to an unrestricted IP address, leading to exposure of services to untrusted networks.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily in environments where cups-browsed is deployed on networked printing infrastructure accessible from untrusted networks or segments. The ability for an unauthenticated attacker to send malicious IPP requests could lead to unauthorized command execution when combined with other vulnerabilities, potentially compromising print servers and connected systems. This could result in disruption of printing services, unauthorized access to sensitive documents, lateral movement within internal networks, and potential data integrity issues. Organizations with large-scale print deployments, especially in sectors like government, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, may face increased risk due to the critical nature of printing infrastructure. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as an initial foothold for further attacks if exploited in combination with the related CVEs. However, the absence of known exploits in the wild and the medium severity rating suggest that immediate widespread impact is limited but should not be underestimated.

1. Upgrade cups-browsed to a version later than 2.0.1 once patches become available from the OpenPrinting project or your Linux distribution vendor. 2. Until patches are applied, restrict network access to port 631 on systems running cups-browsed by implementing firewall rules that limit connections to trusted internal IP addresses only. 3. Disable cups-browsed or the network printing service on systems where it is not required, especially on publicly accessible or untrusted network interfaces. 4. Monitor network traffic for unusual IPP requests or connections to port 631 from unexpected sources. 5. Employ network segmentation to isolate print servers from critical infrastructure and sensitive data environments. 6. Review and apply security best practices for print server hardening, including disabling unnecessary features and enabling logging and alerting for suspicious activities. 7. Stay informed about updates regarding the related vulnerabilities (CVE-2024-47076, CVE-2024-47175, CVE-2024-47177) and apply combined patches promptly to prevent chained exploitation.