CVE-2017-12714 in Pacemaker
Summary
by MITRE
Abbott Laboratories pacemakers manufactured prior to Aug 28, 2017 do not restrict or limit the number of correctly formatted "RF wake-up" commands that can be received, which may allow a nearby attacker to repeatedly send commands to reduce pacemaker battery life. CVSS v3 base score: 5.3, CVSS vector string: AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Abbott has developed a firmware update to help mitigate the identified vulnerabilities.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2020
This vulnerability affects Abbott Laboratories pacemakers manufactured before August 28, 2017, presenting a significant security risk to patients with cardiac rhythm management devices. The flaw resides in the wireless communication protocol implementation where the device fails to enforce rate limiting or command restriction mechanisms for RF wake-up commands. This design oversight creates an exploitable condition where an attacker within close proximity can repeatedly transmit valid wake-up commands to the pacemaker system. The vulnerability operates under the attack pattern described by ATT&CK technique T1547.001 for Application Execution and T1072 for Application Deployment, as it leverages legitimate wireless communication protocols to execute unauthorized device functions. The lack of command validation and rate limiting represents a fundamental weakness in the device's security architecture, allowing for potential abuse through repeated command injection attacks.
The technical implementation flaw stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the pacemaker's wireless communication stack. Specifically, the device does not maintain a counter or implement rate limiting for incoming RF wake-up commands, which are legitimate administrative functions designed to activate the device for programming or monitoring purposes. This absence of command rate limiting creates a scenario where an attacker can continuously send these commands without restriction, leading to excessive power consumption and accelerated battery depletion. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-307, which addresses improper restriction of repeated Actions, and CWE-693, covering Protection Mechanism Failure. The CVSS score of 5.3 indicates a medium severity risk with an attack vector accessible via adjacent network, high complexity, no user privileges required, and a potential for high impact to availability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple battery drain, potentially compromising patient safety through device malfunction or failure. Repeated wake-up commands cause the pacemaker to consume excessive power during activation cycles, which may lead to premature battery failure and subsequent device shutdown. When a pacemaker's battery depletes, it can result in life-threatening situations where the device fails to deliver necessary cardiac pacing. The attack scenario involves an adversary positioned within the device's wireless communication range, typically 1-3 meters, capable of transmitting multiple wake-up commands to exhaust the device's power reserves. This vulnerability particularly affects patients who rely on their pacemakers for life support, making the potential consequences severe and immediate. The risk is compounded by the fact that the device may not alert patients or healthcare providers to the battery depletion, as the system operates normally until the battery fails completely.
Abbott Laboratories addressed this vulnerability through the development and deployment of firmware updates that implement proper command rate limiting and access control mechanisms. The firmware update modifies the device's wireless communication protocol to enforce maximum command frequency limits and requires authentication for wake-up command processing. This mitigation approach aligns with security best practices for embedded systems and medical devices, incorporating proper access control and rate limiting as recommended in NIST SP 800-32 and IEC 62443 standards. Healthcare providers must ensure that affected pacemaker devices receive the firmware update promptly, as the vulnerability remains exploitable until the update is installed. The update process typically requires specialized programming equipment and trained medical personnel to implement, emphasizing the need for coordinated healthcare facility response plans. Patients should be informed about the vulnerability and the importance of receiving the firmware update, as the risk remains present until proper mitigation is achieved.