CVE-2018-10634 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

CVE-2018-10634 was published on August 8, 2018, by ICS-CERT. It involves the Medtronic insulin pump and its vulnerability to cleartext transmission of sensitive information.

Understanding CVE-2018-10634

This CVE highlights the risk of unauthorized interception of communication between specific Medtronic insulin pump models and their wireless accessories due to lack of encryption.

What is CVE-2018-10634?

The vulnerability in CVE-2018-10634 allows skilled attackers to capture unencrypted transmissions between Medtronic insulin pumps and wireless accessories, potentially exposing sensitive data like device serial numbers.

The Impact of CVE-2018-10634

The lack of encryption in communication poses a significant security risk as attackers could exploit this vulnerability to access confidential information, compromising patient privacy and device integrity.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-10634

This section delves into the specifics of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The Medtronic MMT 508 MiniMed insulin pump, along with other specified models, transmit data in cleartext, making it susceptible to interception by malicious actors.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected products include the MMT 508 MiniMed insulin pump, 522 / MMT - 722 Paradigm REAL-TIME, 523 / MMT - 723 Paradigm Revel, 523K / MMT - 723K Paradigm Revel, and 551 / MMT - 751 MiniMed 530G.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers with the necessary skills can intercept wireless transmissions between the vulnerable Medtronic insulin pumps and their accessories to extract sensitive information.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting against CVE-2018-10634 requires immediate actions and long-term security measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable wireless communication on the affected devices if not essential for medical purposes.
Ensure physical security of the devices to prevent unauthorized access.
Regularly monitor for any suspicious activity related to the devices.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement encryption protocols for wireless communications to safeguard data transmission.
Keep devices updated with the latest security patches and firmware releases.

Patching and Updates

Medtronic or relevant authorities may release patches or updates to address the vulnerability. Stay informed about these releases and apply them promptly.