CVE-2024-1221
Papercut Mf ≤ 20.1.10
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:NCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2024-1221 is a low-severity Improper Neutralization of Equivalent Special Elements (CWE-76) vulnerability in Papercut Papercut Mf. Its CVSS base score is 3.1 (Low).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Protocol or Service Impersonation (T1001.003); ranked at the 45th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-16988
Vulnerability Data
This vulnerability potentially allows files on a PaperCut NG/MF server to be exposed using a specifically formed payload against the impacted API endpoint. The attacker must carry out some reconnaissance to gain knowledge of a system token. This CVE only…
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affects Linux and macOS PaperCut NG/MF servers.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
SA-11 requires developer testing and evaluation that can discover failures to neutralize equivalent special elements.
SI-10 requires validation of information inputs, directly stopping incomplete neutralization of equivalent special elements.
SA-8 mandates security engineering principles such as complete input validation and sanitization that cover equivalent special-element forms.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Secure SDLC practices directly require consistent neutralization of all equivalent special elements during input validation and sanitization.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
A.8.25 mandates secure SDLC practices (secure coding guidelines, security requirements, checkpoints, testing, developer training) that reach improper neutralization of equivalent special elements, but only as one slice of a broad requirement whose implementation scope and rigour are left to the organisation.
Application security requirements include rules for handling special characters and equivalent encodings.
A.8.27 mandates security-by-design principles (defense-in-depth, least privilege, distrust external input, fail securely, hardening, design review against attack patterns) that reach some but not most cases of equivalent-special-element neutralization failures.
Secure coding standards directly address proper neutralization of all equivalent special elements.
Security testing can detect incomplete neutralization but does not prevent the weakness itself.