dbcve.org
Color Laserjet 3000Hardware / appliance · Hp

CVE-2011-4161

HIGH · 10.0 CVSS v2.0 Published 2011-12-01
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
The default configuration of the HP CM8060 Color MFP with Edgeline; Color LaserJet 3xxx, 4xxx, 5550, 9500, CMxxxx, CPxxxx, and Enterprise CPxxxx; Digital Sender 9200c and 9250c; LaserJet 4xxx, 5200, 90xx, Mxxxx, and Pxxxx; and LaserJet Enterprise 500 color M551, 600, M4555 MFP, and P3015 enables the Remote Firmware Update (RFU) setting, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by using a session on TCP port 9100 to upload a crafted firmware update.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Multiple HP printer and MFP models have Remote Firmware Update (RFU) enabled by default. Attackers can upload malicious firmware by connecting to TCP port 9100 (the standard printer RAW port), achieving arbitrary code execution with privileged firmware access.

MitigationDisable the Remote Firmware Update setting in the printer's web interface or embedded web server, and/or restrict network access to port 9100 via firewall or network segmentation to prevent unauthorized firmware uploads.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Color Laserjet 3000Hardware / appliance
Affected:all versions
Color Laserjet 3800Hardware / appliance
Affected:all versions
Color Laserjet 4700Hardware / appliance
Affected:all versions
Color Laserjet 4730Hardware / appliance
Affected:= mfp
Color Laserjet 4730 MfpHardware / appliance
Affected:all versions
Color Laserjet 5550Hardware / appliance
Affected:all versions
Color Laserjet 9500Hardware / appliance
Affected:all versions
Color Laserjet Cm3530Hardware / appliance
Affected:all versions

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify the HP printer or MFP model
    Access the printer's embedded web server (EWS) via HTTP on the printer's IP address, or print a configuration/status page from the device control panel. Look for the model name in the device information section.
    Affected if The model matches any of these: HP Color LaserJet 3000, 3800, 4700, 4730, 4730 MFP, 5550, 9500, or CM3530. All versions of these models are affected.
  2. Verify TCP port 9100 is accessible
    Run a network port scan against the printer's IP address targeting port 9100 (e.g., using nmap -p 9100 <printer-ip> or telnet <printer-ip> 9100). Confirm the port responds or accepts connections.
    Affected if Port 9100 is open and reachable from any network segment where untrusted users or systems can connect.
  3. Access the printer's embedded web server
    Open a web browser and navigate to http://<printer-ip-address> to reach the printer's EWS. Log in with administrative credentials if authentication is configured.
    Affected if The web interface is accessible, which indicates the EWS is enabled and can be used to check RFU settings.
  4. Check Remote Firmware Update (RFU) setting
    In the EWS, navigate to the Settings or Security section. Look for a setting named 'Remote Firmware Update' or 'RFU' or 'Firmware Update' under General Settings, Security, or System Settings. Verify whether it is set to Enabled or Disabled.
    Affected if Remote Firmware Update is set to Enabled, allowing firmware uploads via the RAW port (9100) without authentication verification.

You are affected if the device is one of the listed HP Color LaserJet models, TCP port 9100 is accessible from an untrusted network segment, and Remote Firmware Update is enabled in the printer's settings.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Disable the Remote Firmware Update setting in the printer's web interface or embedded web server, and/or restrict network access to port 9100 via firewall or network segmentation to prevent unauthorized firmware uploads.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence
  1. 1. Access the printer's embedded web server by entering the printer's IP address in a web browser
  2. 2. Navigate to the 'Settings' or 'Security' tab
  3. 3. Locate the 'Remote Firmware Update' (RFU) or 'Firmware Update' setting
  4. 4. Disable or turn off the Remote Firmware Update feature
  5. 5. Save and apply the changes
  6. 6. Restart the printer to ensure the setting takes effect
  7. 7. Alternatively, disable RFU via the printer control panel: Go to Setup > Security > Remote Firmware Update and set to 'Disabled'
  8. 8. Consider restricting access to TCP port 9100 via firewall rules or access control lists
Caveat Disabling RFU prevents legitimate firmware updates over the network; ensure alternative update methods (USB/local) are available if needed

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Color Laserjet 3000 Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
17.0 hours of engineering $3,050
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2011-4161 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data