CVE-2018-18978 : Security Advisory and Response

A problem was found in the Ascensia Contour NEXT ONE Android application prior to 2019-01-15. The application has a fixed encryption key that cannot be changed, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive medical information.

Understanding CVE-2018-18978

This CVE identifies a security vulnerability in the Ascensia Contour NEXT ONE Android application that could lead to unauthorized access to patients' medical data.

What is CVE-2018-18978?

This CVE pertains to a flaw in the Ascensia Contour NEXT ONE Android app that uses a static encryption key, making it possible for attackers to intercept and manipulate medical information.

The Impact of CVE-2018-18978

The vulnerability enables unauthorized individuals to access and modify sensitive medical data stored in the Ascensia cloud, posing a significant risk to patient privacy and data integrity.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-18978

The technical aspects of the CVE-2018-18978 vulnerability are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

The Ascensia Contour NEXT ONE Android app uses a fixed encryption key that cannot be altered.
Attackers can exploit this flaw to intercept and decode communications between the app and the backend server.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Ascensia Contour NEXT ONE Android application
Vendor: Ascensia
Versions: All versions prior to 2019-01-15

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers need to obtain the static encryption key to decrypt communications between the app and the server.
Another vulnerability allows access to any user's encrypted data from the Ascensia cloud.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-18978, the following steps are recommended:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Ascensia Contour NEXT ONE app to the latest version that addresses the encryption key issue.
Monitor for any unauthorized access or modifications to medical data.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement dynamic encryption keys that can be changed regularly.
Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Ascensia should release patches that address the encryption key vulnerability.
Users should promptly apply all security updates and patches provided by Ascensia.