Following the detection of the PrintNightmare vulnerability last week, Microsoft released a fix via cumulative updates that was said to patch the exploit. And despite security researchers claiming that the patch can be bypassed and is rather ineffective in stopping attacks, the Redmond giant has been adamant stating that its patch works exactly as intended when the system is used properly.
However, the company appears to certainly acknowledge the problem that the update KB5004945 is causing Zebra printers, where the patch is seemingly breaking such printers (via Reddit) and preventing the devices from printing anything at all. Interestingly, simply rolling back the update fixes the printing problem that the Zebra printers are having, confirming indeed that it"s the KB5004945 patch that is the culprit.
Regarding a potential fix, Zebra has issued the following statement to The Verge:
We are aware of a printing issue caused by the July 6 Windows “KB5004945“ update affecting multiple brands of printers. Microsoft has investigated this issue and plans to release an update addressing the issue within the next 1–2 business days. An immediate way to address the issue is to uninstall the Windows “KB5004945“ update or uninstall the affected printer driver and reinstall using Administrative credentials. Long term, we encourage the use of the newer Windows update Microsoft is planning to release. Customers who need assistance regarding Zebra printers may contact our Technical Support Team.
So if the above statement is any indication of truth, then Microsoft will be rolling out another set of patches related to PrintNightmare very soon, but this time, they will be made specifically for Zebra printers only.
Source: The Verge