CVE-2019-18254 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

BIOTRONIK CardioMessenger II has a vulnerability that exposes sensitive information when not in use, potentially compromising medical data and device serial numbers.

Understanding CVE-2019-18254

The vulnerability in BIOTRONIK CardioMessenger II can lead to unauthorized access to unencrypted medical measurement data and implanted cardiac device serial numbers.

What is CVE-2019-18254?

The BIOTRONIK CardioMessenger II-S T-Line and CardioMessenger II-S GSM devices lack encryption for sensitive data, allowing unauthorized access to medical information and device serial numbers.

The Impact of CVE-2019-18254

The vulnerability enables attackers with physical access to the CardioMessenger to retrieve unencrypted medical measurement data and the serial number of the linked cardiac device.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-18254

The vulnerability is categorized under the problem type 'MISSING ENCRYPTION OF SENSITIVE DATA CWE-311'.

Vulnerability Description

The BIOTRONIK CardioMessenger II-S devices do not encrypt sensitive information, making it accessible to unauthorized individuals.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: 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 individuals with physical access to the CardioMessenger can exploit the lack of encryption to access medical measurement data and device serial numbers.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take:

Ensure physical security of the CardioMessenger to prevent unauthorized access.
Regularly monitor the device for any suspicious activities. Long-Term Security Practices:
Implement encryption protocols for sensitive data storage.
Train users on secure handling and storage of medical devices. Patch and Updates:
Contact BIOTRONIK for patches or updates to address the encryption vulnerability.