CVE-2017-14006 in Xeleris
Summary
by MITRE
GE Xeleris versions 1.0,1.1,2.1,3.0,3.1, medical imaging systems, all current versions are affected, these devices use default or hard-coded credentials. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may allow a remote attacker to bypass authentication and gain access to the affected devices.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14006 affects GE Xeleris medical imaging systems across multiple versions including 1.0, 1.1, 2.1, 3.0, and 3.1, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the authentication mechanisms of these critical healthcare devices. This vulnerability falls under the category of weak authentication due to the use of default or hard-coded credentials, which represents a fundamental security misconfiguration that has been documented in various cybersecurity frameworks including CWE-798 and CWE-259. The affected systems are medical imaging devices that process sensitive patient data and are typically deployed in healthcare environments where security and privacy are paramount. These devices are designed to handle critical medical information and are often connected to hospital networks, making them attractive targets for malicious actors seeking unauthorized access to sensitive healthcare data.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability stems from the implementation of default administrative credentials that remain unchanged throughout the device lifecycle, creating a persistent security weakness that can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring specialized knowledge or tools. This design flaw allows unauthorized users to bypass authentication mechanisms entirely, as the system does not enforce proper credential management or account lockout mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication layer of the Xeleris systems, which are part of the broader GE Healthcare ecosystem designed for medical imaging workflows. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078.004 which covers legitimate credentials, and T1110.001 which involves password guessing, making it particularly dangerous as it enables unauthorized access without the need for complex attack vectors. The default credentials typically include common username and password combinations such as admin/admin or root/root, which are well-known and easily discoverable by threat actors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it allows remote attackers to gain unauthorized administrative access to medical imaging systems that contain sensitive patient information, medical records, and diagnostic data. This unauthorized access could lead to data breaches, system compromise, and potential disruption of critical medical services that rely on these imaging systems for diagnosis and treatment planning. Healthcare organizations using these devices face significant regulatory compliance risks, as the vulnerability violates various healthcare security standards including HIPAA requirements for protecting patient data. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from outside the network perimeter, potentially allowing for lateral movement within healthcare networks and escalation of privileges to access other connected systems. Organizations may experience operational downtime, data integrity issues, and potential legal consequences due to unauthorized access to protected health information, with potential impacts extending to patient safety and healthcare delivery continuity.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-14006 should include immediate implementation of credential changes for all affected devices, ensuring that default administrative accounts are disabled or have strong, unique passwords assigned. Network segmentation should be implemented to limit access to these devices, and proper firewall rules should be configured to restrict access to authorized personnel only. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar configuration weaknesses in other networked medical devices. The implementation of network monitoring solutions can help detect unauthorized access attempts and provide early warning of potential exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication where possible and ensure that all default accounts are either disabled or have strong, unique credentials that are regularly rotated. According to industry best practices and NIST guidelines for medical device security, regular patch management and proper device lifecycle management are essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. Additionally, healthcare organizations should maintain detailed inventory records of all medical devices and their security configurations to ensure comprehensive coverage of security measures across their entire medical imaging infrastructure.