CVE-2025-34196 is a critical security vulnerability found in Vasion Print Virtual Appliance Host versions prior to 25.1.102 and its Windows client versions prior to 25.1.1413. The core issue is the presence of hardcoded sensitive credentials within shipped configuration files, specifically a private key for the PrinterLogic Certificate Authority (CA) and a hardcoded password. These credentials are embedded in files such as clientsettings.dat and defaults.ini, which are distributed with the Windows client. An attacker who gains access to these files can leverage the private CA key to impersonate the legitimate CA, allowing them to create and sign arbitrary certificates that the client will trust. This capability enables man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, interception, and decryption of TLS-protected communications between the client and the appliance or other network entities. The vulnerability stems from CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials) and CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials). Exploitation requires no privileges or user interaction, making it trivially exploitable remotely if the configuration files are accessible. The CVSS 4.0 score is 9.3, indicating a critical severity due to the combination of network attack vector, no required privileges, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vendor has acknowledged this issue as V-2022-001 but has not yet provided public patch links. This vulnerability compromises the trust model of the product’s TLS communications, undermining the security of print infrastructure and potentially allowing attackers to intercept sensitive documents or disrupt printing services.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of print-related communications and data. Organizations relying on Vasion Print for centralized print management could have their TLS communications intercepted or decrypted, exposing sensitive documents and internal communications. The ability to impersonate the CA also allows attackers to conduct persistent MITM attacks or inject malicious content into print jobs or management traffic. This could lead to data leakage, disruption of printing services, and broader network compromise if attackers leverage the foothold gained through this vector. Critical sectors such as government, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing that depend on secure printing and document handling are particularly vulnerable. The ease of exploitation without authentication or user interaction increases the likelihood of targeted attacks or opportunistic exploitation. Additionally, the lack of currently known exploits does not diminish the urgency, as the vulnerability is straightforward to weaponize once configuration files are obtained, which may occur through insider threats, misconfigurations, or other attack vectors.

1. Immediately restrict access to all configuration files containing sensitive credentials, ensuring they are only accessible by authorized system processes and administrators. 2. Monitor and audit file access logs to detect unauthorized attempts to read or copy these configuration files. 3. Implement network segmentation to isolate print infrastructure from general user networks, reducing exposure. 4. Deploy network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) to monitor for suspicious TLS certificate activities or anomalies in print traffic. 5. Enforce strict endpoint security controls on client machines to prevent unauthorized extraction of configuration files. 6. Coordinate with Vasion for timely application of patches or updated versions that remove hardcoded credentials. 7. Consider deploying certificate pinning or additional certificate validation mechanisms to detect forged certificates. 8. Educate IT staff about the risks of hardcoded credentials and the importance of secure configuration management. 9. If patching is delayed, consider temporary compensating controls such as disabling vulnerable components or restricting client deployments to trusted environments. 10. Regularly review and update incident response plans to include scenarios involving compromised print infrastructure.