CVE-2019-18256 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

BIOTRONIK CardioMessenger II has a vulnerability where per-device credentials are stored in a retrievable format, potentially allowing unauthorized access and data decryption.

Understanding CVE-2019-18256

The vulnerability in BIOTRONIK CardioMessenger II poses a security risk due to the storage of credentials in a format that can be exploited by attackers.

What is CVE-2019-18256?

The affected products store per-device credentials in a recoverable format, enabling attackers with physical access to potentially authenticate on the network and decrypt local data.

The Impact of CVE-2019-18256

The vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data transmitted by the CardioMessenger II, compromising the confidentiality and integrity of the information.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-18256

The technical aspects of the vulnerability provide insight into its implications and potential risks.

Vulnerability Description

The BIOTRONIK CardioMessenger II-S T-Line and CardioMessenger II-S GSM devices store per-device credentials in a format that can be retrieved, allowing attackers to exploit these credentials for network authentication and data decryption.

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

Attackers gaining physical access to the CardioMessenger can retrieve stored credentials and use them to authenticate on the network and decrypt local data in transit.

Mitigation and Prevention

Addressing the CVE-2019-18256 vulnerability requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Implement physical security measures to restrict unauthorized access to the CardioMessenger devices.
Regularly monitor and audit access to the devices to detect any suspicious activities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Encrypt sensitive data stored and transmitted by the CardioMessenger devices to prevent unauthorized access.
Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches and updates provided by BIOTRONIK to mitigate the vulnerability and enhance the security of the affected products.