Advice Request Which printer models are invulnerable to malware?

[William2]

Hi everyone,

Are there printers that are invulnerable to malware? Are these perhaps old printer models whose memory I can clear by turning off the printer?

Are old printers less vulnerable to malware than newer models?

Are there modern printer models that are invulnerable to malware?

Thanks for your comments.

 

[Studynxx]

No such thing. As long as it's code, it's got exploits.

 

[Sophytaylor]

Instead of looking for a "malware-proof" printer, it's better to focus on models that offer:

- Strong firmware integrity checks

- Secure boot

- Regular updates

- Network access controls

 

[KnownStormChaser]

Nothing is malware proof. But not connecting it to the internet would be a good start.

 

[William2]

Thanks all for your replies. How can malware remain in a very old printer model that I turn off and that does not have an HDD or SSD?

 

[KnownStormChaser]

How can malware remain in a very old printer model that I turn off and that does not have an HDD or SSD?

It still has permanent memory of sorts, in order to run its printing programs, among other things.

 

[ForgottenSeer 114717]

How can malware remain in a very old printer model that I turn off and that does not have an HDD or SSD?

Key words: "very old printer model".

Probably so old that there is no OEM firmware or software updates. Any printer OEM software that you installed and use on your PC are probably also vulnerable.

At risk? Likely.

How badly? Difficult to say as it depends upon so many variables.

However, if the printer is very old (greater than 10 years old), it is possible that it is no longer being actively targeted by threat actors regardless of the vulnerabilities. It's off their attack radar map and has descended into relevancy for them.

In such a case, the best thing to do is to keep it air-gapped (not connected to the network).

LOL, I have to ask how old the printer actually is? Does the software run on Windows 10 or 11, or is your system Windows 7, XP, or earlier?

 

[stonjean633]

Thanks all for your replies. How can malware remain in a very old printer model that I turn off and that does not have an HDD or SSD?

Old printers do have storage. Just not in the form of a HDD or SSD. There are the eeprom,flash,Firmware, nvram, ram etc. All of those areas can be filled with malware.

 

[William2]

Key words: "very old printer model".

Probably so old that there is no OEM firmware or software updates. Any printer OEM software that you installed and use on your PC are probably also vulnerable.

At risk? Likely.

How badly? Difficult to say as it depends upon so many variables.

However, if the printer is very old (greater than 10 years old), it is possible that it is no longer being actively targeted by threat actors regardless of the vulnerabilities. It's off their attack radar map and has descended into relevancy for them.

In such a case, the best thing to do is to keep it air-gapped (not connected to the network).

LOL, I have to ask how old the printer actually is? Does the software run on Windows 10 or 11, or is your system Windows 7, XP, or earlier?

You ask good questions. I actually wanted to buy an old model used printer because I thought that such old printer models are invulnerable to malware.

I wanted to connect that old printer alternately to two computers. One computer with Windows 11, that is connected to the internet. And one old computer with Windows 10 that is completely air-gapped, so without contact with the internet or another computer.

If that would pose a malware-risk for the air-gapped computer, I might have to buy two printers. Then the internet computer has its own printer. And the air-gapped computer would also have its own printer.

 

[William2]

Thank you very much for all your valuable advice. Is there a way to clean a printer's memory 100 percent of malware?

With a computer this can be done by reinstalling Windows. With a smartphone this can be done by resetting it to factory settings. Is something like this also possible with a computer printer?

 

[roger_m]

Thank you very much for all your valuable advice. Is there a way to clean a printer's memory 100 percent of malware?

What reason do you have to suspect that your printer is infected?

 

[William2]

What reason do you have to suspect that your printer is infected?

I currently don't have a working printer. I want to prevent malware from being transferred from my internet computer to my air-gapped computer via a printer. In this way I want to prevent data from being destroyed or stolen from my air-gapped computer.

 

[ForgottenSeer 114717]

Thank you very much for all your valuable advice. Is there a way to clean a printer's memory 100 percent of malware?

You need to provide a lot more detailed information because it is unclear what, if anything, you are doing that creates a serious risk in the situation you describe.

Except for enterprise printers connected to the network with port forwarding enabled (for remote management & maintenance), virtually all "printer attacks" or printer exploits begin with a direct attack on the system(s) to which the printer is connected. There are extreme corner cases but not relevant to this discussion.

Air-gapped system + printer requires direct or very near access for an attack Even then, putting malware onto an air gapped printer makes no sense - if it were possible. Attacking non-networked printers is a non-starter. There's no value to it unless the objective is to retrieve very highly valuable data. The expense, effort, and timelines for such attacks are only manageable by nation states.

 

[William2]

You need to provide a lot more detailed information because it is unclear what, if anything, you are doing that creates a serious risk in the situation you describe.

Except for enterprise printers connected to the network with port forwarding enabled (for remote management & maintenance), virtually all "printer attacks" or printer exploits begin with a direct attack on the system(s) to which the printer is connected. There are extreme corner cases but not relevant to this discussion.

Air-gapped system + printer requires direct or very near access for an attack Even then, putting malware onto an air gapped printer makes no sense - if it were possible. Attacking non-networked printers is a non-starter. There's no value to it unless the objective is to retrieve very highly valuable data. The expense, effort, and timelines for such attacks are only manageable by nation states.

Thanks for your response. I sometimes want to connect my printer to my computer that is connected to the Internet. And sometimes I want to connect that same printer to my air-gapped computer.

So I have two different computers that never have contact with each other. And I only want to purchase one printer, provided it is safe for my air-gapped computer.

 

[Studynxx]

Just invest in common sense and a good AV like Kaspersky.

 

[Victor M]

Do a search on OffSec’s Exploit Database Archive , then you will know if there are exploits for your printer.

 

[Victor M]

Then you can search Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog | CISA for in the wild actively exploited things.

 

[Victor M]

Then search NVD for all publicly known vulnerabilities. Vulnerabilities may or may not be exploited, Vulnerabilities may or may not have patches. NVD - Search

 

[Victor M]

Don't just search for the printer brand + model. Also search for the printer's App name.

 

[William2]

Thanks everybody for your advice. I am afraid I have to buy two printers. One for my online computer and another printer for my air-gapped computer.