CVE-2025-34196 is a critical vulnerability affecting Vasion Print Virtual Appliance Host versions prior to 25.1.102 and its Windows client application versions prior to 25.1.1413. The vulnerability stems from the use of hardcoded credentials, specifically a private key for the PrinterLogic Certificate Authority (CA) and a password embedded directly within shipped configuration files such as clientsettings.dat and defaults.ini. This private key is used to sign certificates trusted by the Windows client, and its exposure allows an attacker to impersonate the CA. Consequently, an attacker who obtains these configuration files can create arbitrary certificates that the client will trust, enabling man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, interception, and decryption of TLS-protected communications between the client and server. This compromises the confidentiality and integrity of the data transmitted, as well as the authenticity of the communicating parties. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely without authentication or user interaction, as indicated by the CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N). The CVSS 4.0 base score of 9.3 reflects the critical severity due to the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with the ease of exploitation. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the presence of hardcoded private keys and passwords represents a severe security design flaw (CWE-798 and CWE-522) that can be leveraged by attackers to compromise enterprise print infrastructure and related network communications.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the security of print services and related network communications. Organizations relying on Vasion Print Virtual Appliance Host and its Windows client deployments may face unauthorized interception and manipulation of sensitive print jobs and administrative communications. This can lead to data leakage, exposure of confidential documents, and potential lateral movement within internal networks if attackers leverage the compromised certificates to impersonate trusted services. The ability to perform MITM attacks undermines trust in encrypted communications, which is critical for compliance with European data protection regulations such as GDPR. Disruption or compromise of print infrastructure can also impact business continuity, especially in sectors like finance, healthcare, and government where secure document handling is essential. Given the vulnerability requires no authentication or user interaction, the attack surface is broad, increasing the likelihood of exploitation if attackers gain access to the vulnerable configuration files through other means such as phishing, insider threats, or network breaches.

European organizations should prioritize upgrading Vasion Print Virtual Appliance Host to version 25.1.102 or later and the Windows client to version 25.1.1413 or later, where this vulnerability is addressed. Until patches are applied, organizations should restrict access to configuration files (clientsettings.dat, defaults.ini) by enforcing strict file system permissions and monitoring for unauthorized access or exfiltration attempts. Network segmentation should be employed to isolate print infrastructure from general user networks, reducing the risk of attackers obtaining sensitive files. Implementing network-level encryption and certificate pinning where possible can help detect and prevent MITM attacks. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular audits of certificates trusted by client systems to identify any unauthorized or suspicious certificates. Security teams should also enhance monitoring for anomalous network traffic patterns indicative of MITM or impersonation attacks. Finally, educating staff about the risks of credential exposure and enforcing strong internal controls around configuration management will reduce the likelihood of accidental disclosure.