Microsoft's Windows PrintNightmare Patch Breaks Network Printing Functionality

[AleksandarK]

As many of you are aware, Microsoft's Windows 10 operating systems have been infected with the recent PrintNightmare vulnerability, where the Windows Print Spooler service would perform improper file operations, and attackers had room to exploit that behaveour. As the vulnerability allowed SYSTEM-level (admin) privileges, the users would be left with a vulnerable PC that an attacker could access remotely and perform malicious code execution. Back on Tuesday of last week, Microsoft has issued the patch that attempts to stop this exploit from happening, however, it seems like the fix has broken the Network Printing functionality of Windows-based machines.

According to the BleepingComputer report, the Tuesday patch for Windows has left a number of PCs with a broken Network Printing functionality, where the OS is reporting different types of errors each time the request for Network Printing occurs. It is important to note that the issue affects only printers that are attached by a USB connector, and mainly HP, Konica Minolta, and Canon models are in trouble. So far, Microsoft has not fixed this issue so users are left to wait for another patch round.


View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Chomiq]

Would be more than happy to select "Lol no" but if printing over RDP counts then it's sadly "Yes!".

 

[Mussels]

Ah i wondered why mine worked fine, it's a networked wifi printer - not a shared USB one

 

[InhaleOblivion]

Ouch blessed I'm using an HP smart printer through my WiFi connection. Haven't printed through USB in many moons.

 

[zlobby]

And yet Microsoft want us to believe that they can build an OS with proper security and decent reliability? A printer driver with SYSTEM privileges? All hail Windiws 11?

Ouch blessed I'm using an HP smart printer through my WiFi connection. Haven't printed through USB in many moons.

Until the neighbors' kid decide to troll you and print all-black pages until you run out of ink and/or paper. OK, OK, you may be using patched drivers, but still...

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

Its simple for those that dont have a printer , disable the print spooler service.

 

[tabascosauz]

Its simple for those that dont have a printer , disable the print spooler service.

Even if you have one and don't print all the time. I set mine to manual and only start it when I need to print something, it goes right back to being off afterwards. Started doing it since printnightmare first became a thing.

I guess we'll find out if i get the patch and it breaks my printer. Mine is a USB printer but I connect it to my router with an ethernet cable.

 

[silentbogo]

This whole situation sounds a bit familiar.
Last time Microsoft attempted to fix print spool vulnerability - they also broke it. It did not affect me directly, but because of that we had a broken remote printing for a couple of months, until they patched a virtual printer driver to work with an updated spooler. You had to physically move files between computers, which was a total nightmare for our economist (hundreds of files every day during closing periods).
Anydesk and Teamviewer - all were affected, and while RDP remote printing worked - it was out of question for security concerns.

 

[InhaleOblivion]

And yet Microsoft want us to believe that they can build an OS with proper security and decent reliability? A printer driver with SYSTEM privileges? All hail Windiws 11?


Until the neighbors' kid decide to troll you and print all-black pages until you run out of ink and/or paper. OK, OK, you may be using patched drivers, but still...

Yes my drivers are patched. What kinda noob do you take me for? My neighbors kids don't know anything about PCs...they're all about consoles and Fortnite.

 

[zlobby]

My neighbors kids don't know anything about PCs...they're all about consoles and Fortnite.

Until they don't hear in their FB that there are YT videos that can show them how to 'hack'.
Granted, these videos are only applicable to vulnerable systems, which I didn't want to sound like I'm implying that yours is.

 

[Tardian]

I had a printer network nightmare for months after going to Windows 10. I spent days solving the problem/s. Persistence wins.

 

[windwhirl]

Until the neighbors' kid decide to troll you and print all-black pages until you run out of ink and/or paper. OK, OK, you may be using patched drivers, but still...

That'd be on you for leaving your network open.

 

[zlobby]

Its simple for those that dont have a printer , disable the print spooler service.

This is an advice I really can't stress enough. Part of the hardening process is to disable all unwanted and unused services. This way one reduces the attack surface significantly.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

If only we had TPM 2.0!

This is an advice I really can't stress enough. Part of the hardening process is to disable all unwanted and unused services. This way one reduces the attack surface significantly.

Strange, windows doesnt even exist after I did that.....

 

[trparky]

I have to wonder what printers are being broken by this patch because I have two printers here that work just fine even with this patch. An HP and a Samsung laserjet.

 

[StarPlus]

for all who wonder how to reproduce the "Nightmare" well its rather easy as any user whose machine has this patch installed cannot install any network shared printer USB or non USB just shared from any server or machine requiring the installation of drivers from remote location when the user initiating the installation of the printer doesn't have elevated/admin rights will get 0x0000011b printer not accessible during driver installation. users with printers already installed or not requiring driver installation wont be affected.

 

[neatfeatguy]

Ah i wondered why mine worked fine, it's a networked wifi printer - not a shared USB one

Same reason why a security patch a couple years back completely broke the print spooler for my windows 10 system, but caused no issues for anyone else's computer at work.....

 

[Bones]

Yes my drivers are patched. What kinda noob do you take me for? My neighbors kids don't know anything about PCs...they're all about consoles and Fortnite.

For now that is.......
Naturally they'll find other "Hobbies" as time goes, just hope they don't make you one of 'em.

This is an advice I really can't stress enough. Part of the hardening process is to disable all unwanted and unused services. This way one reduces the attack surface significantly.

MS LOVES having all this kind of stuff enabled out of the box and any dumbass with any computing sense knows that's like leaving the gate wide open with a nice, bright , flashing Vegas sign to come on in, make yourself at home since your house is the neighborhood's too.
You call - They'll come.

Things like remote registry as an example - NOT smart to have that enabled as a default yet that's what MS does.
The average person doesn't know anything about it or how to switch it off so you have that. I always go in, switch off everything that doesn't apply to me - Makes it one less worry on my part.

 

[InhaleOblivion]

Until they don't hear in their FB that there are YT videos that can show them how to 'hack'.
Granted, these videos are only applicable to vulnerable systems, which I didn't want to sound like I'm implying that yours is.

For now that is.......
Naturally they'll find other "Hobbies" as time goes, just hope they don't make you one of 'em.

This is why knowing your actual neighbors is important. I get that most of us probably took an interest in computers early. However the average kid and even American has no desire to learn how PCs, laptops, tablets, or even their beloved smartphones actually work. Add to the fact that my neighbors have mostly daughters and just one son. Plus not only are my drivers up to date my Wi-Fi access code aka password isn't a word or phrase. It's basically a random string of characters. They consume content like the vast majority of my neighbors. I have one guy on my block that actually knows what a GPU is. The local public school that they go to barely had laptops for Covid when kids were at home. They're on Tiktok while on their "hoverboards" and taking selfies. If you saw them you'd understand. I have nothing to worry about ever being hacked by anyone in my community.

That'd be on you for leaving your network open.

Exactly. Thank you for getting why this doesn't apply to myself or honestly the vast majority of forum members.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I have a work-around that is supposed to work, though it has yet to be verified.

Go into Network adapter properties and disable "Client for Microsoft Networks" and "File & Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks". Then open the Management Console and change the Print Spooler service Startup Type to Manual. This should solve the problem for most end users until a proper fix can be issued as these step kill remote printing of any kind. This of course solves nothing for networks...

 

[zlobby]

This is why knowing your actual neighbors is important. I get that most of us probably took an interest in computers early. However the average kid and even American has no desire to learn how PCs, laptops, tablets, or even their beloved smartphones actually work. Add to the fact that my neighbors have mostly daughters and just one son. Plus not only are my drivers up to date my Wi-Fi access code aka password isn't a word or phrase. It's basically a random string of characters. They consume content like the vast majority of my neighbors. I have one guy on my block that actually knows what a GPU is. The local public school that they go to barely had laptops for Covid when kids were at home. They're on Tiktok while on their "hoverboards" and taking selfies. If you saw them you'd understand. I have nothing to worry about ever being hacked by anyone in my community.

Exactly. Thank you for getting why this doesn't apply to myself or honestly the vast majority of forum members.

A 'random' password is not really random unless you take certain precautions. It's usually pseudo-random and can be derived again from the same random seed.

Also, you should not only worry about the guys in your neighborhood. With the advent of WiFi many people understood what antenna gain is.
If I ever get to live to deep age, you'd really ought to watch out for the ol' Mr. Mitzwack. Even though he's old, limpy and has a hunchback, he knows ones and zeroes far too well for anyone to be safe. Don't judge a book by its cover and remember - setting a few passwords here and there doean't mean absolute safety. There is no such thing as absolute (cyber) safety.

 

[InhaleOblivion]

A 'random' password is not really random unless you take certain precautions. It's usually pseudo-random and can be derived again from the same random seed.

Also, you should not only worry about the guys in your neighborhood. With the advent of WiFi many people understood what antenna gain is.
If I ever get to live to deep age, you'd really ought to watch out for the ol' Mr. Mitzwack. Even though he's old, limpy and has a hunchback, he knows ones and zeroes far too well for anyone to be safe. Don't judge a book by its cover and remember - setting a few passwords here and there doean't mean absolute safety. There is no such thing as absolute (cyber) safety.

Thanks, now I know you're just trolling and projecting. I and others are well aware of that. I have a whole linux build for various things that Windows isn't the best for. Meanwhile you haven't even added your system specs in years of being a member here. Where are the mods when you need them? I simply responded to the article itself, and you're here to derail the thread while continuously mentioning super hacker kids for some strange reason. Which has nothing to do with the printnightmare.

 

[Bomby569]

Microsoft sure can make a mess, and W11 is just a couple weeks away

 

[zlobby]

I simply responded to the article itself, and you're here to derail the thread while continuously mentioning super hacker kids for some strange reason. Which has nothing to do with the printnightmare.

Nah, I just try to find the silver lining in everything and widen everyone's horizon.

Even though 'super hacker kids' aren't real, that's a false pretext for everyone to lower their guard. Just a friendly reminder from your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

Anywho, I cakked here too much. Blasting off before the hammer fell. Best of luck.

 

[95Viper]

Stay on topic.
Stop the insults.