Subj : Microsoft unveils a new and safer way for your business to print
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Mon Dec 18 2023 20:00:05

Microsoft unveils a new and safer way for your business to print

Date:
Mon, 18 Dec 2023 19:56:04 +0000

Description:
Say goodbye to vulnerable printer drivers and say hello to a driverless 
environment, thanks to Microsoft.

FULL STORY
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Microsoft is changing the way Windows handles printers , which should make 
for a much safer experience overall - but could also mean that some older 
devices may no longer be supported. 

In a blog post published by Johnathan Norman of the Microsoft Offensive 
Research & Security Engineering (MORSE), it was explained that the printing 
experience hasnt changed much over the past 20 years. 

Until now, Windows relied on third-party drivers to make printers work, and 
some of those drivers were decades old and, as such, a major security 
liability. Print Nightmare, for example, was an attack that recently abused 
vulnerable printer drivers to cause chaos. Mopria printers 

Now, Microsoft is introducing a new printing mode dubbed "Windows Protected 
Print Mode (WPP)" which it says will let users access Windows modern print 
stack by simply plugging in their printers. 

"We believe users should be Secure-by-Default which is why WPP will 
eventually be on by default in Windows," Norman explained. 

This suggests that third-party drivers will no longer be necessary, as most 
printers will work on a single stack updated and maintained by Microsoft. 

The keyword here is "most" printers - which means that some probably wont 
work. The new stack only works with Mopria-certified printers which, 
according to multiple media sources, there are plenty. HP, Samsung, Canon, 
Xerox, and others, all have Mopria-certified printers, and if your endpoint 
is of a newer date, chances are its certified. Older models, however, will 
probably not be supported and if youre using Windows 11, youll likely have to 
get them replaced. 

It could be worth the trouble, Norman hints, stating that the Windows print 
system has been "a key target" for attackers. "The Spooler runs with high 
privileges and must load code from the network which is difficult to 
accomplish with low friction and high security," he explains. "Print bugs 
played a role in Stuxnet and Print Nightmare, and account for 9% of all 
Windows cases reported to MSRC." 

MORSE analyzed past MSRC cases for Windows Print and found that the protected 
mode mitigated over half of those vulnerabilities. 

The new feature is currently being rolled out to Insiders. More from 
TechRadar Pro New super-villain virus on the loose Here's a list of the best 
firewalls today These are the best endpoint protection services right now



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/microsoft-unveils-a-new-and-safer-way-f
or-your-business-to-print


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