CVE-2018-10622 is a vulnerability identified in the Medtronic 24950 MyCareLink Patient Monitor, a medical device used for remote monitoring of patients with implanted cardiac devices. The core issue involves the use of per-product credentials that are stored in a recoverable format within the device. Specifically, these credentials are intended for network authentication and encryption of local data at rest. However, because they are stored in a recoverable manner, an attacker with access to the device or its storage could extract these credentials. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-257, which relates to the use of hard-coded or recoverable passwords. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.9, indicating a medium severity level. The vector indicates that the attack requires physical proximity (AV:P - Physical), high attack complexity (AC:H), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and the scope is changed (S:C). The impact is high on confidentiality (C:H), but no impact on integrity (I:N) or availability (A:N). This means that while the attacker cannot alter or disrupt the device's operation, they can compromise sensitive patient data confidentiality by decrypting stored data or authenticating on the network as the device. The vulnerability affects all versions of the product and was published in August 2018. No known exploits in the wild have been reported, and no patches are listed, suggesting that mitigation may rely on procedural controls or device replacement. The device's role in healthcare monitoring makes this vulnerability particularly sensitive, as unauthorized access to patient data could lead to privacy violations and regulatory non-compliance. Furthermore, network authentication compromise could allow lateral movement within healthcare networks if the device is connected to broader hospital infrastructure.

For European organizations, particularly healthcare providers and hospitals using Medtronic 24950 MyCareLink Monitors, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to patient data confidentiality. The exposure of per-product credentials could allow attackers to decrypt sensitive health information stored locally on the device or intercept communications, violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. Although the attack requires physical proximity, healthcare environments often have multiple personnel and visitors, increasing the risk of unauthorized access. Compromise of these credentials could also facilitate unauthorized network access, potentially enabling attackers to move laterally within hospital networks, threatening broader IT infrastructure. The inability to alter device operation reduces the risk of direct patient harm via device malfunction, but privacy breaches and potential reputational damage to healthcare providers are substantial concerns. Additionally, the lack of available patches means organizations must rely on compensating controls, which may be challenging to implement consistently across healthcare settings.

Given the absence of patches, European healthcare organizations should implement strict physical security controls to limit access to the MyCareLink monitors, including secure storage and restricted access areas. Network segmentation should be enforced to isolate these devices from critical hospital IT systems, minimizing the risk of lateral movement if credentials are compromised. Monitoring network traffic for unusual authentication attempts or data exfiltration related to these devices can provide early detection of exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider device replacement or firmware updates if Medtronic releases patches addressing this vulnerability. Additionally, enforcing strong access control policies, including multi-factor authentication for network access where possible, can reduce risk. Training healthcare staff on the importance of device security and reporting suspicious activity is essential. Finally, encrypting data at higher layers beyond device-level encryption can provide defense in depth against credential compromise.