Rapid7 and Brother Industries have collaborated to address vulnerabilities affecting numerous printer models, including those from FUJIFILM, Konica Minolta, Ricoh, and Toshiba TEC. Over the past thirteen months, Rapid7 and JPCERT/CC have worked with Brother to disclose and mitigate eight potential hacks, with an authentication bypass being the most critical concern.
Brother has acknowledged the limitations in fully resolving the authentication bypass through a software update and will be providing workarounds for the affected devices. The security advisories released by Rapid7 and Brother offer detailed insights into the vulnerabilities and affected printer models, along with guidance for remediation.
The vulnerabilities pose a significant threat, particularly the authentication bypass that exposes admin passwords and enables unauthorized access to the device’s functionalities. These vulnerabilities could be exploited to establish network connections, cause device crashes, and potentially access sensitive information stored on external FTP services.
Rapid7’s research in May 2025 revealed that thousands of Brother printers were exposed online, emphasizing the widespread nature of the issue. The risks associated with printer hacks extend beyond Brother, as demonstrated by past incidents involving other prominent printer manufacturers like HP, Canon, Xerox, and Epson.
HP printers, for instance, have long been targeted by hackers, with vulnerabilities persisting in certain printer driver series as recently as January 2025. Canon and Xerox printers have also faced severe vulnerabilities, underscoring the need for proactive security measures and firmware updates to mitigate risks.
Epson, on the other hand, has shown fewer vulnerabilities, emphasizing the importance of regularly updating firmware to enhance security. Maintaining up-to-date firmware and implementing secure network configurations, such as VLANs, are crucial steps in safeguarding printers, especially in corporate environments.
Printer security remains a critical concern, given the prevalence of internet-exposed printers and the potential for unauthorized access. Organizations and individuals alike must prioritize security measures to prevent cyber threats targeting printers, which can serve as entry points for network breaches.
As the landscape of cyber threats continues to evolve, staying informed about printer vulnerabilities and adopting best practices for security will be essential in safeguarding sensitive data and networks from malicious actors.
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