CVE-2018-8852 in e-Alert Unit
Summary
by MITRE
Philips e-Alert Unit (non-medical device), Version R2.1 and prior. When authenticating a user or otherwise establishing a new user session, the software gives an attacker the opportunity to steal authenticated sessions without invalidating any existing session identifier.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2020
The Philips e-Alert Unit represents a critical security vulnerability classified as CVE-2018-8852, affecting versions R2.1 and earlier of this non-medical device. This vulnerability resides within the session management mechanisms of the software system, specifically during user authentication and session establishment processes. The device operates in healthcare environments where secure communication and access control are paramount, making this flaw particularly concerning for organizations responsible for patient safety and data protection.
The technical flaw manifests as a session fixation vulnerability where the system fails to properly invalidate or regenerate session identifiers when establishing new user sessions. This weakness allows attackers to capture valid session tokens and subsequently reuse them to impersonate legitimate users without needing to know valid credentials. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-613, which addresses insufficient session expiration and improper session management. When an attacker successfully steals a session identifier, they gain unauthorized access to the device's administrative functions and potentially sensitive patient data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, creating a significant risk to healthcare delivery systems. Attackers could exploit this weakness to modify device configurations, access patient monitoring data, or disrupt critical alert notifications that may be essential for patient care. The vulnerability affects the device's authentication mechanisms and could lead to unauthorized modifications of critical system parameters, potentially compromising patient safety. From an attacker perspective, this represents a low-effort, high-impact vector for privilege escalation and persistent access within healthcare networks.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including mandatory session regeneration upon successful authentication, proper session invalidation mechanisms, and network segmentation to limit access to these devices. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers credential harvesting through session management flaws, and T1078, which addresses valid accounts usage. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous session activity and establish robust patch management processes to ensure timely remediation of such vulnerabilities. The affected device requires firmware updates to address the session management flaw and prevent unauthorized session hijacking attacks that could compromise healthcare operations and patient safety protocols.