CVE-2018-18630 in Cardiology Product
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability was found in McKesson Cardiology product 13.x and 14.x. Insecure file permissions in the default installation may allow an attacker with local system access to execute unauthorized arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-18630 affects McKesson Cardiology software versions 13.x and 14.x, representing a critical security flaw that stems from insecure file permissions within the default installation configuration. This issue specifically targets the local system security model of the application, creating a pathway for privilege escalation that could be exploited by attackers who already possess local system access. The flaw resides in the default installation process where files and directories are created with overly permissive access controls that do not adhere to security best practices for enterprise medical software deployments. The vulnerability demonstrates a clear failure in the principle of least privilege, where the application does not properly restrict file permissions to prevent unauthorized code execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the creation of files and directories during installation with world-writable or group-writable permissions that should be restricted to administrative users only. This misconfiguration allows any local user account to modify critical application components, potentially enabling the execution of malicious code through privilege escalation techniques. The flaw specifically relates to the installation directory structure where configuration files, executable components, and data storage areas are not properly secured against unauthorized modifications. Attackers could exploit this by replacing legitimate executable files with malicious binaries or by modifying configuration files to redirect application behavior, thereby achieving unauthorized code execution with elevated privileges.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to healthcare organizations deploying McKesson Cardiology software, as it provides a direct pathway for local attackers to escalate privileges and potentially access sensitive patient data or disrupt critical medical applications. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in healthcare environments where security controls are paramount and unauthorized access to medical systems can have serious implications for patient safety and data protection. The attack vector requires only local system access, making it accessible to users who may have legitimate access to the system but could abuse their privileges or who have obtained unauthorized access through other means. This weakness undermines the security posture of medical installations that rely on the McKesson platform for cardiac care management and data processing.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through proper file permission configuration and application updates from McKesson to address the insecure default installation behavior. Organizations should implement comprehensive permission auditing of the installed application directories to ensure that only authorized administrative accounts possess write access to critical application components. The recommended approach includes applying the vendor-provided security patches and updates that correct the default installation permissions, while also implementing regular security assessments of installed applications to identify similar permission misconfigurations. Security teams should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized modifications to application files and directories, as well as establishing strict access control policies that limit local system access to only authorized personnel. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-732, which addresses incorrect permissions for critical resources, and represents a common attack pattern documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation techniques. Organizations should also consider implementing defense-in-depth strategies that include network segmentation, privileged access management, and regular security training to reduce the overall risk exposure associated with local privilege escalation vulnerabilities.