Hackers are targeting business printers in ongoing campaigns to spread strange anti-work messages. It currently remains unclear as to why and how the hackers are utilising these attacks.
Hackers Hacked Random Printers In Recent “Anti-Work” Campaigns
Motherboard has recently reported an ongoing cyber attack targeting random businesses. As observed, the hackers target business printers, printing strange anti-work messages for the employees.
All of the messages encouraged people to stand up against abusive work practices. From urging them to resign to living a free life to bashing employers for low pay scales.
Interestingly, the messages even tempted users to visit the r/antiwork subreddit to “learn more”.
These attacks were brought to attention after users posted snaps of the printed receipts on social media forums. In fact, numerous users flooded the r/Antiwork subreddit on Reddit with such photos, while some posted about it on Twitter.
Saw another post about this. There were doubts in the comments about it being real or not. I’ve received about 4 different messages at random times over the last week at work. Very inspiring, encouraging, and fun to see my bosses face when he has to rip them off the printer. from antiwork
It presently remains unclear if these campaigns are as harmless as they seem. Nor the identity of the attackers and their relation with the r/antiwork subreddit.
Basically, this subreddit is all about sharing bad work experiences, success stories involving resignations, bashing employers for underpaying employees, and related stuff. Its description reads,
A subreddit for those who want to end work, are curious about ending work, want to get the most out of a work-free life, want more information on anti-work ideas and want personal help with their own jobs/work-related struggles.
While it apparently looks like a move to promote “antiwork” subreddit, these attacks show how vulnerable most corporate printers are.
Although, hacking printers isn’t a new tactic. These attacks often stem from vulnerabilities that go unnoticed. However, exploiting printers this way can have devastating consequences for the target businesses.
For instance, researchers recently shared their findings of “Printing Shellz” vulnerabilities affecting at least 150 HP printer models. Exploiting these bugs could expose sensitive data in-process by the printers, to the attackers. Also, such attacks may let the attacker gain access to target networks.