CVE-2017-11693 : Security Advisory and Response

The MEDHOST Document Management System contains a security vulnerability due to hard-coded credentials, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive patient and financial information.

Understanding CVE-2017-11693

What is CVE-2017-11693?

The vulnerability in the MEDHOST Document Management System involves the use of hard-coded credentials to access the customer database, posing a risk of unauthorized access or alteration of sensitive data.

The Impact of CVE-2017-11693

The hard-coded credentials in the system could enable attackers with knowledge of these credentials to access or manipulate patient and financial information, compromising data confidentiality and integrity.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-11693

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from the use of hard-coded credentials in the MEDHOST Document Management System, specifically in the PostgreSQL database.
The account name 'dms' with a static password is utilized throughout the application, remaining unchanged across all installations.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: MEDHOST Document Management System
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers with direct communication to the database and knowledge of the hard-coded 'dms' account credentials can potentially access or modify sensitive data.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Change the hard-coded 'dms' account password to a strong, unique one.
Implement access controls and restrict direct database communication.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update access credentials and passwords.
Conduct security assessments and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Contact the vendor for a patch or update that addresses the hard-coded credentials issue in the MEDHOST Document Management System.