CVE-2018-7526 in Scroll Medical Air Systems
Summary
by MITRE
In TotalAlert Web Application in BeaconMedaes Scroll Medical Air Systems prior to v4107600010.23, by accessing a specific uniform resource locator (URL) on the webserver, a malicious user may be able to access information in the application without authenticating.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7526 represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within the TotalAlert Web Application component of BeaconMedaes Scroll Medical Air Systems. This issue affects versions prior to v4107600010.23 and demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the application's access control mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from improper authorization checks that allow unauthenticated users to gain access to sensitive application resources through direct URL manipulation. This type of flaw falls under the CWE-285 category of Improper Authorization, which specifically addresses situations where the application fails to properly verify that an authenticated user has the necessary permissions to access specific resources or perform certain actions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a simple yet effective method of URL traversal and direct resource access. Attackers can construct specific uniform resource locators that bypass the normal authentication flow, directly accessing application endpoints that should normally require valid credentials. This weakness essentially creates a backdoor path through the application's security architecture, allowing unauthorized access to potentially sensitive medical data or system configuration information. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning given the medical context, as it could expose patient information, system diagnostics, or operational parameters that are typically restricted to authorized medical personnel. The flaw essentially eliminates the authentication layer that should protect these resources, creating an environment where any user with network access can potentially read or interact with protected application components.
The operational implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple information disclosure, as it represents a significant compromise to the security posture of medical devices in healthcare environments. In the context of medical air systems, unauthorized access to monitoring applications could lead to critical operational disruptions or compromise patient safety. The vulnerability's presence in medical equipment specifically violates industry standards such as those outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and HIPAA security requirements, which mandate proper access controls for protected health information. From an attack surface perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers Valid Accounts - Cloud Accounts, as the attacker can leverage direct access to application resources without proper authentication mechanisms. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal sophistication and can be executed by attackers with basic web browsing capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-7526 must focus on implementing proper access control measures and ensuring that all application endpoints enforce authentication checks regardless of URL access patterns. Organizations should immediately update their BeaconMedaes Scroll Medical Air Systems to version v4107600010.23 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the authentication bypass vulnerability. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to these medical applications to authorized personnel only, while also implementing additional monitoring for unusual access patterns or direct URL access attempts. The fix should include comprehensive input validation and proper session management to ensure that all application resources require valid authentication before access is granted. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other medical devices within the healthcare network, as this type of authentication bypass vulnerability is commonly found in legacy medical systems that may not have received regular security updates.