CVE-2019-18246 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

BIOTRONIK CardioMessenger II products have a vulnerability related to improper authentication, potentially allowing unauthorized access to the remote communication infrastructure.

Understanding CVE-2019-18246

The vulnerability in BIOTRONIK CardioMessenger II products stems from a lack of proper mutual authentication implementation with the BIOTRONIK infrastructure for remote communication.

What is CVE-2019-18246?

The affected products fail to enforce mutual authentication, which could lead to unauthorized access to the BIOTRONIK Remote Communication infrastructure.

The Impact of CVE-2019-18246

This vulnerability could be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to the communication infrastructure, potentially compromising sensitive data and system integrity.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-18246

The technical aspects of the CVE-2019-18246 vulnerability are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

The BIOTRONIK CardioMessenger II products do not effectively implement mutual authentication with the infrastructure for remote communication provided by BIOTRONIK.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Products: BIOTRONIK CardioMessenger II-S T-Line, CardioMessenger II-S GSM
Versions: CardioMessenger II-S T-Line T4APP 2.20, CardioMessenger II-S GSM T4APP 2.20

Exploitation Mechanism

Unauthorized users could exploit this vulnerability to gain access to the BIOTRONIK Remote Communication infrastructure without proper authentication.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2019-18246, follow these mitigation steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Implement the latest security patches provided by BIOTRONIK.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity.
Restrict access to the affected systems.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch all software and firmware.
Conduct security assessments and audits periodically.
Educate users on best security practices to prevent unauthorized access.

Patching and Updates

BIOTRONIK may release patches or updates to address the vulnerability. Ensure timely installation of these updates to mitigate the risk of exploitation.