CVE-2025-2263 in Sante PACS Server
Summary
by MITRE • 03/13/2025
During login to the web server in "Sante PACS Server.exe", OpenSSL function EVP_DecryptUpdate is called to decrypt the username and password. A fixed 0x80-byte stack-based buffer is passed to the function as the output buffer. A stack-based buffer overflow exists if a long encrypted username or password is supplied by an unauthenticated remote attacker.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-2263 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow in the Sante PACS Server web application that directly impacts the authentication mechanism. This flaw exists within the OpenSSL cryptographic library implementation where the EVP_DecryptUpdate function processes user credentials during login operations. The technical implementation uses a fixed 0x80-byte stack buffer as the output destination for decrypted authentication data, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by remote attackers without requiring prior authentication. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and buffer size management during the decryption process, making it particularly dangerous as it occurs in the core authentication flow of the medical imaging server software.
The operational impact of this buffer overflow vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with a direct pathway to compromise the entire PACS server infrastructure. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specially formatted encrypted credentials that exceed the 0x80-byte buffer limit, causing memory corruption that could lead to arbitrary code execution. This presents a severe risk to healthcare organizations as PACS servers contain sensitive patient medical images and data, making the exploitation of such vulnerabilities particularly concerning from both security and compliance perspectives. The vulnerability's location within the web server login functionality means that attackers can potentially gain unauthorized access to medical imaging systems without proper authentication, potentially leading to data breaches, system compromise, and disruption of critical healthcare services.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which falls under the broader category of memory safety issues commonly exploited in cybersecurity attacks. The attack pattern aligns with techniques described in MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application, as the vulnerability affects a web server component that is directly accessible from external networks. Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including input validation controls, buffer size enforcement, and application-level restrictions on authentication data lengths. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper cryptographic implementation practices and adherence to secure coding standards that prevent such memory corruption issues in critical healthcare infrastructure components. The remediation approach should involve updating the Sante PACS Server software to a patched version that properly handles buffer sizes during decryption operations and implements appropriate bounds checking mechanisms to prevent stack memory corruption during authentication processing.