Security Alert: Anycubic Printers Vulnerable to Hackers
Information has surfaced online that internet-connected 3D printers by Anycubic have been hacked to alert users to a critical vulnerability within the devices. The hacker added a file named “hacked_machine_readme.gcode,” which typically contains instructions for 3D printing, along with a message indicating the printer’s susceptibility to attacks due to a security flaw.
According to the hacker, the vulnerability allows potential attackers to control the 3D printers (rebooting, changing settings, injecting malicious scripts) through the MQTT API service of Anycubic. The message also includes a call for the company to open-source the printer software, pointing out its shortcomings.
The text file received by the compromised devices states: “Your machine has a critical vulnerability, posing a significant threat to your security. Immediate action is strongly advised to prevent potential exploitation.” Users who received this warning were advised by the benevolent hacker to disconnect their printers from the internet until the company resolves the security issue.
The hacker’s message noted that at the time of the attack, there were 293,463 vulnerable devices; however, a white-hat hacker later emerged in a Reddit discussion thread on the hack, stating that the warning message might have been sent multiple times to the same printer, suggesting that the actual number of printers affected is likely in the thousands, not hundreds of thousands.
Following the hacking reports, the Anycubic application ceased to function, displaying a “network unavailable” error, likely because the company decided to err on the side of caution and disable network features. Nonetheless, the white-hat hacker reported that they had directly contacted Anycubic and provided details about the discovered vulnerability, suggesting that a fix should be forthcoming.
Founded in 2015 in Shenzhen, China, Anycubic is regarded as one of the most popular 3D printer brands on the market, with sales of over 3 million printers in more than 120 countries.
