CVE-2023-27350 — PaperCut MF/NG Improper Access Control Vulnerability
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to bypass authentication on affected installations of PaperCut NG 22.0.5 (Build 63914). Authentication is not required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the SetupCompleted class. The issue results from improper access control. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to bypass authentication and execute arbitrary code in the context of SYSTEM. Was ZDI-CAN-18987.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- Confirmed exploitation (CISA KEV)+35
- Used in ransomware campaigns (CISA)+10
- Public exploit/PoC (nuclei, metasploit, exploitdb, github)+20
- EPSS 100% (30-day exploitation probability)+15
- Technical severity (critical)+10
- Automatable exploitation (SSVC)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
No fix documented by the sources we poll. That does not mean none exists: check the vendor advisory.
CISA required action CISA
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
US federal deadline: May 12, 2023 — passed 1253 day(s) ago
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (PaperCut Papercut Mf, PaperCut Papercut Ng).
- Treat as emergency remediation: the CVE is in CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- No fix documented in the sources: reduce exposure and monitor the vendor advisory.
- EPSS ahead of 100% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (access control), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PaperCut | Papercut Mf | ≥ 8.0 and < 20.1.7≥ 21.0.0 and < 21.2.11≥ 22.0.0 and < 22.0.9 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| PaperCut | Papercut Ng | ≥ 8.0 and < 20.1.7≥ 21.0.0 and < 21.2.11≥ 22.0.0 and < 22.0.9 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| PaperCut | Papercut Ng | version 22.0.5 (Build 63914) | Vulnerable | CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.1 | Critical | 3.9 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.0 | Critical | 3.9 | 5.9 | zdi-disclosures@trendmicro.com via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.0 | Critical | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 9.8 | CVSS 3.0 | Critical | — | — | zdi via CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
CISA KEV details CISA
CISA lists a CVE once it has evidence of exploitation against real targets.
CISA records ransomware use only for campaigns it has confirmed, so “Unknown” means unrecorded, not ruled out. The deadline binds US federal agencies; for everyone else it is a reference date.
Public exploits, PoCs and detection templates
Public code that demonstrates or tests the flaw raises the odds of mass exploitation — and Nuclei templates help find vulnerable assets in your environment.
- PaperCut PaperCutNG Authentication Bypass excellent Mar 13, 2023
- PaperCut NG/MG 22.0.4 - Authentication Bypass Apr 25, 2023
- PaperCut NG/MG 22.0.4 - Remote Code Execution (RCE) May 23, 2023
- Proof of Concept Exploit for PaperCut CVE-2023-27350 ★ 57 Apr 22, 2023
- imancybersecurity/CVE-2023-27350-POC ★ 12 Apr 21, 2023
- Exploit for Papercut CVE-2023-27350. [+] Reverse shell [+] Mass checking ★ 9 Apr 25, 2023
- A simple python script to check if a service is vulnerable ★ 5 Apr 21, 2023
- Unauthenticated remote command execution in Papercut service allows an attacker to execute commands due to improper access controls in the SetupCompleted Java class. ★ 4 Mar 9, 2025
- Perfom With Massive Authentication Bypass In PaperCut MF/NG ★ 2 May 27, 2023
- Python 2.7 ★ 0 Jun 13, 2023
- ASG-CASTLE/CVE-2023-27350 ★ 0 Apr 19, 2024
- rasan2001/CVE-2023-27350-Ongoing-Exploitation-of-PaperCut-Remote-Code-Execution-Vulnerability ★ 0 May 10, 2024
- PoC for CVE-2023-27350 ★ 0 Apr 14, 2025
Warning: public PoCs are sometimes disguised malware. Use them only for authorized testing in an isolated environment. This portal does not host exploit code — it only points to the sources.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 12, 2026 → Oct 15, 2026 · 4 reading(s) · max 100.00%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Audit administrative actions and access to resources outside each user’s normal pattern.
- Hunt retroactively in logs from before Apr 21, 2023 (KEV listing): exploitation may have started earlier.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Affected products added · papercut/ng
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Affected products added · papercut/papercut mf, papercut/papercut ng
- CVSS changed · 9.8
- Source status changed · → Analyzed
- Added to CISA KEV (detected)
- Record created in this database
- 2023
- Added to CISA KEV catalog
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
12 on the record
- www.papercut.com/kb/Main/PO-1216-and-PO-1219
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/172512/PaperCut-NG-MG-22.0.4-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/172022/PaperCut-NG-MG-22.0.4-Authentication-Bypass.html
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-27350
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-cfg6-7x4x-p3pj
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/172780/PaperCut-PaperCutNG-Authentication-Bypass.html
- www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-23-233
- www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-23-233/
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/171982/PaperCut-MF-NG-Authentication-Bypass-Remote-Code-Executi
- news.sophos.com/en-us/2023/04/27/increased-exploitation-of-papercut-drawing-blood-aro
- news.sophos.com/en-us/2023/04/27/increased-exploitation-of-papercut-drawing-blood-aro
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- Critical CVE-2026-82078 PaperCut NG/MF Unsafe Reflection Vulnerability KEV Aug 28, 2026
- Critical CVE-2026-81578 PaperCut NG/MF Missing Authentication for Critical Function Vulnerability KEV Aug 28, 2026
- High CVE-2026-6180 PaperCut MF: Card truncation on HP readers May 5, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-6418 PaperCut NG/MF: Path Traversal in Shared Account Synchronization May 5, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-4794 Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in PaperCut NG/MF Mar 30, 2026
- High CVE-2026-5115 Session hijacking in PaperCut NG/MF embedded application for Konica Minolta devices Mar 30, 2026
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No fixed version, patch or mitigation documented.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2023-27350 is "PaperCut MF/NG Improper Access Control Vulnerability", rated Critical. It affects Papercut Mf (PaperCut); versions are in the scope table. It is in CISA KEV: there is evidence of real-world exploitation. CVSS 9.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 100.00% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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