CVE-2018-5438 in ISCV
Summary
by MITRE
Philips ISCV application prior to version 2.3.0 has an insufficient session expiration vulnerability where an attacker could reuse the session of a previously logged in user. This vulnerability exists when using ISCV together with an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system, where ISCV is in KIOSK mode for multiple users and using Windows authentication. This may allow an attacker to gain unauthorized access to patient health information and potentially modify this information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-5438 affects Philips ISCV (Image Storage and Communication Viewer) applications running versions prior to 2.3.0, presenting a critical session management weakness that directly impacts healthcare information security. This flaw specifically manifests when the ISCV application operates in kiosk mode within electronic medical record environments, where multiple users interact with the system through Windows authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from inadequate session expiration protocols that fail to properly terminate user sessions after periods of inactivity or upon logout, creating persistent access tokens that can be exploited by unauthorized individuals. The security implications are particularly severe in healthcare settings where patient data confidentiality and integrity are paramount, as the vulnerability directly undermines the principle of least privilege and proper access controls.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-613, which addresses insufficient session expiration, and represents a classic case of session management failure in multi-user environments. When ISCV operates in kiosk mode with Windows authentication, legitimate users authenticate once and establish sessions that should automatically expire after defined periods or upon system inactivity. However, the flaw allows attackers to capture and reuse valid session tokens from previous users, effectively enabling unauthorized access to patient health information without requiring additional authentication credentials. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the authentication and session management components of the ISCV software, making it particularly dangerous in healthcare environments where unauthorized access to medical records could constitute serious privacy violations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to potentially enabling data modification and integrity compromise within healthcare systems. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could not only read sensitive patient health information but also potentially alter medical records, prescription data, or diagnostic results, creating serious risks for patient safety and healthcare delivery. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in kiosk deployments where multiple users may access the same system sequentially, as the session token from one user could be immediately reused by another individual. This creates a persistent security risk where session hijacking becomes possible, and the attacker can maintain access to the system for extended periods without detection. The exposure of patient health information through this vulnerability directly violates healthcare privacy regulations such as HIPAA and could result in significant compliance violations and potential legal consequences.
Organizations utilizing affected Philips ISCV applications should prioritize immediate remediation through software updates to version 2.3.0 or later, which addresses the session expiration vulnerability through proper session management implementation. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to limit access to kiosk systems, configuring automatic session timeouts, and establishing strict access control policies for kiosk deployments. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual session patterns and unauthorized access attempts, while regular security assessments should verify that session management configurations are properly implemented. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper session management in healthcare applications and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of medical device software in multi-user environments. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication layers such as multi-factor authentication and regular session validation checks to further reduce the risk of session hijacking attacks. The incident underscores the necessity of maintaining current software versions and following security best practices for medical device deployments in healthcare environments.