Ripple20: hidden bugs in millions of devices
One small network library inside printers, medical devices and industrial gear has serious bugs. Patching won’t be easy.
Last week researchers published Ripple20: 19 vulnerabilities in a TCP/IP library made by Treck, used for years inside devices from many manufacturers. Printers, infusion pumps, UPS units, industrial controllers. Some bugs allow remote code execution.
The hard part: most owners don’t know their devices contain this library, and many makers no longer support those devices.
What you can do:
- Check vendor advisories for the devices you own. Many vendors are publishing lists.
- Update firmware where fixes exist.
- Keep these devices off the internet and on their own network segments.
- Block traffic they don’t need, such as unusual IP options and tunnelling, at your firewall.
- Add these devices to your inventory. You can’t patch what you don’t know exists.