CVE-2018-5462 in IntelliSpace Portal
Summary
by MITRE
Philips IntelliSpace Portal all versions of 8.0.x, and 7.0.x have an SSL incorrect hostname certificate vulnerability this could allow an attacker to gain unauthorized access to resources and information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2020
The Philips IntelliSpace Portal represents a critical healthcare information system that serves as a centralized platform for medical imaging data management and clinical workflows. This system operates within hospital environments where it processes sensitive patient information and medical records, making it a prime target for cyber adversaries seeking unauthorized access to healthcare infrastructure. The vulnerability classified as CVE-2018-5462 affects multiple versions of the portal software including 7.0.x and 8.0.x release lines, indicating a widespread exposure across different deployment scenarios within healthcare organizations. The vulnerability specifically relates to SSL certificate validation mechanisms that fail to properly verify hostname matches during secure communication establishment.
The technical flaw manifests in the implementation of SSL/TLS certificate validation routines where the system does not adequately validate the hostname contained within the server certificate against the actual host being connected to. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the cryptographic security model that should prevent man-in-the-middle attacks by ensuring that communications occur with the intended server. When SSL certificate hostname validation fails, attackers can exploit this weakness by presenting a valid certificate for a different hostname, allowing them to intercept and potentially manipulate communications between clients and the portal server. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate hostname validation in secure communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to encompass potential system compromise and unauthorized access to critical medical information. Healthcare organizations utilizing affected IntelliSpace Portal versions face significant risk of data breaches that could expose patient medical records, imaging data, and clinical information. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could gain access to sensitive healthcare data, potentially leading to identity theft, medical fraud, or even compromise patient safety through manipulation of medical records. The vulnerability creates a persistent risk for organizations as it affects multiple versions of the software, meaning that deployments across different healthcare facilities and systems may all be vulnerable to the same attack vector.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including verification of SSL certificate validation configurations and ensuring that hostname checking is properly enforced during secure connections. System administrators should conduct comprehensive inventory checks to identify all affected versions of the IntelliSpace Portal and apply vendor-provided security patches as soon as they become available. Network segmentation strategies should be implemented to limit access to the portal system, and additional monitoring should be deployed to detect anomalous connection patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper cryptographic implementation practices and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which involves network service scanning and exploitation of weak SSL/TLS configurations. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as certificate pinning and enhanced network monitoring to detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability.