HP Printer Driver Problem Archives

MrMacintosh.com - HP Printer Driver Certificate Issue — HP Printer Driver Certificate Issue

On Friday October 23rd, HP printer owners started reporting that they couldn’t print. The error message = HPDeviceMonitoring.framework will damage your computer.

UPDATE: 10/28/20 – I just finished my new video that goes over the issue. I also give a live demo of how to uninstall the bad HP drivers. In the second part, I go over 5 different ways to reinstall new HP drivers. (Video is below this paragraph)

UPDATE: 10/28/20 – I’ve added multiple new instructions to #8 Workarounds / Fixes section.

UPDATE: 10/27/20 – HP has posted a new community knowledge article on the issue with full install instructions. I posted the link in section 8 (Workarounds/ Fixes).

An issue like this is normally something that I would be immediately reporting on, but I was away from my Mac until late Saturday. I started to investigate the issue as soon as I returned. One thing I noticed right away was that the signature was valid! Howard Oakley covered this issue extensively since Friday. I asked Howard to check the signature again and sure enough he confirmed it was good. I figured it was case closed, and shelved the article.

NOPE!

Many users are still reporting printing problems. This time around though, it seems like a different cert issue. Plus users are reporting errors from other frameworks and services like scanning.

Mr. Macintosh HP Printer Driver Certificate Issue overview, How To & Workaround + Fixes video.

Below are a few of Howard’s articles covering this issue.

1. HP Printer Driver Certificate Problem Error Messages
2. Affected macOS Build Versions
3. Affected Mac Hardware
4. What is the error message “X will damage your computer” means.
5. User Reports
6. HP & Apple Response?
7. Replicate the issue.
8. Investigation
9. Workarounds / Fixes
10. If you are seeing this issue, please let Apple know.
11. HP Printer Driver Certificate Problem links
12. Hat Tip/Credits

1. HP Printer Driver Certificate Problem Error Messages

If you are having the issue, you might get one of the error messages below.

1. “HPDeviceMonitoring.framework” will damage your computer.
2. “hpPostProcessing.bundle” will damage your computer.
3. “HPDM.framework” will damage your computer.
4. “Matterhorn.framework” will damage your computer.
5. “Productimprovementstudy.hptask” will damage your computer.
6. “HP Scanner 3” will damage your computer.
7. “inkjet1.driver” will damage your computer.
8. “HP Utility” will damage your computer.
9. “PDE.plugin will damage your computer.
10. “ScanEventHandler.app” will damage your computer.
11. “FaxArchive.task” will damage your computer.
12. “inkjet3.driver” will damage your computer.
13. “commandtohp.filter” will damage your computer.

2. Affected macOS Build Versions

This issue affects the following macOS Build Versions.

macOS Catalina
macOS Mojave
No reports so far of this happening on macOS High Sierra 10.13.

If you are on macOS High Sierra 10.13 and are having this issue, let me know in the comments.

3. Affected Mac Hardware

Past problems would only happen with certain hardware models. Not this time, if you running Catalina or Mojave with an HP Printer, you might be having problems.

4. What is the error message “X will damage your computer” means.

From Apple

Safely open apps on your Mac macOS includes a technology called Gatekeeper, that’s designed to ensure that only trusted software runs on your Mac.
support.apple.com/en-us/HT202491

For this particular error the article says this.

MrMacintosh.com - What a user would see if they had malware! — If macOS detects that an app has malicious content, it will notify you when you try to open it and ask you to move it to the Trash.

If Gatekeeper detects a problem with an application, it will give you this warning.

5. User Reports

The first reports came in on Friday October 23rd 2020.

I spent a while with Apple Support, Something this morning (10/23/20) broke the HP printing drivers framework on Catalina OS 10.15.7. They have received many calls with different items related to HP informing it will damage your computer, My printer does not print. I have a Laserjet 4200 with all kinds of options (envelop feeder, etc.) It is a vicious circle – Apple says to call HP as they need to provide the drivers, I have not been able to speak to anyone at HP that can help.
MacRumors Forum User likegadgets

More reports started to roll in on the Apple Discussion Forums.

I’m getting the exact same popup, I know its not malware. because it’s part of my printer software downloaded from Apple Mac store but apple not updated my software a few OS’s ago and have Malwarebytes Premium installed for a few years now. I have not downloaded anything in past 24-48 hours. somehow I think its a MacOs compatibility issue apple will need to address
Apple Discussions Forum User alistairmck

After over a year with having two HP printers in use, this morning, 10/23/2020 after startup of my Mac, I started getting this same pop-up. In searching for a cause, I saw where to look in the ~/Library/LaunchAgents folder and indeed this file was put there yesterday, 10/22/2020, at 10:00 AM: com.hp.devicemonitor.plist I deleted this file from the ~/Library/LaunchAgents folder, which resolved the pop-up box from coming up, however now my HP Envy 7640 printer will not work. Our other HP printer does continue to work. Hoping Apple will come up with suggestions on this.
Apple Discussions Forum User REW1027

Thomas Reed started to see a bunch of support tickets due to this problem.

We're seeing a significant influx of support cases where users are seeing macOS identify what appear to be legit processes as malware, exactly what is being reported here:https://t.co/vPojXGukzp
— Thomas Reed (@thomasareed) October 23, 2020

We've got quite a few cases continuing to come in to support on the HP software issue. Even though the cert has been un-revoked, some folks still see the issue. Folks are either angry that we didn't detect the "malware" or because they think we're detecting it erroneously. ?
— Thomas Reed (@thomasareed) October 26, 2020

6. HP & Apple Response?

HP has sent a response to The Register.

We unintentionally revoked credentials on some older versions of Mac drivers. This caused a temporary disruption for those customers and we are working with Apple to restore the drivers. In the meantime, we recommend users experiencing this problem to uninstall the HP driver and use the native AirPrint driver to print to their printer.
A HP Inc spokesperson to the Register.

Link – theregister.com/2020/10/23/hp_printer_macos/

No response from Apple at this time.

7. Replicating the issue.

When issues like this have come up in the past, I always attempt to replicate the issue. When I got back late Saturday night, it seemed like the issue was resolved. I checked the certificate/signing and it looked good! The cert was showing as invalid earlier in the day. After this, nothing I could do could reproduce the issue on my home HP printer. This might mean that new users might not have the issue. It’s still unknown at this time.

I was able to get the error on a network printer using a spooler driver. I would get the same error. After clicking OK, the print que would stop with an error.

It looks like this issue can no longer be reproduced. From what we know so far, you would have needed to have your Mac online from October 23-24th and already have the printer drivers installed. If you try the same thing now, printing will be fine.

8. Investigation.

Let’s try to figure out what happened here.

1st Issue – (Friday – Late Saturday)

Howard was able to check the HP Utility.app using is home built free app ArchiChect. This is what the application reported.

MrMacintosh.com - HP Utility spctl error

The application signature check has FAILED! The check reports that the certificate was REVOKED!

2nd Issue – Late Saturday, I ran the same check and this is what it reported.

Looks good right? I thought that HP had reissued the cert and everything was good to go!

I started to receive more and more reports saying that the issue was still NOT fixed.

Let’s take a closer look.

If we run the same check on one of the frameworks we get this

MrMacintosh.com - source=Unnotarized Developer ID — source=Unnotarized Developer ID

The same thing happens if we run the command manually on the HP Utility.app

– spctl --assess --type install --context context:primary-signature -v /Library/Printers/hp/Utilities/HP\ Utility.app

/Library/Printers/hp/Utilities/HP\ Utility.app: rejected

Source=Unnotarized Developer ID

2. – spctl --assess --type open --context context:primary-signature -v /Library/Printers/hp/Utilities/HP\ Utility.app

/Library/Printers/hp/Utilities/HP\ Utility.app: rejected

Source=Unnotarized Developer ID

3. – spctl --assess --type execute --context context:primary-signature -v /Library/Printers/hp/Utilities/HP\ Utility.app

/Library/Printers/hp/Utilities/HP\ Utility.app: accepted

Source=Developer ID

9. Workarounds / Fixes

1. Use AirPrint – AirPrint is the future of printing on macOS. (NO DRIVERS NEEDED!) If your printer supports AirPrint use it. For more info check out this link >

support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/print-wirelessly-mac-airprint-printer-mchl3c1a7aef/mac

support.hp.com/us-en/document/c02623193

2. Let macOS install the correct driver for you! After deleting the hp folder and removing the printer. Plug in your printer in via USB. You will get a popup like this