CVE-2018-10626 is a vulnerability identified in the Medtronic 24950 MyCareLink Patient Monitor, a medical device used to monitor patients with implantable cardiac devices. The core issue lies in the device's update service, which does not sufficiently verify the authenticity of data uploaded to the Medtronic CareLink network. Specifically, the vulnerability is categorized under CWE-345, indicating insufficient verification of data authenticity. An attacker who manages to obtain per-product credentials from the monitor, as well as information about the paired implantable cardiac device, could potentially upload invalid or malicious data to the CareLink network. This could lead to the injection of false patient data or manipulation of device telemetry, potentially impacting clinical decisions. The vulnerability affects all versions of the 24950 MyCareLink Monitor. The CVSS v3.1 score is 4.4 (medium severity), with the vector indicating that the attack requires adjacent network access (AV:A), high attack complexity (AC:H), low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts confidentiality and integrity to a low degree (C:L/I:L) but does not affect availability (A:N). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. There are no known exploits in the wild, and no patches have been linked in the provided data. This vulnerability is significant because it targets a critical healthcare device that transmits sensitive patient data and influences medical treatment. The insufficient verification of data authenticity could allow attackers to compromise the integrity of patient monitoring data, potentially leading to incorrect medical responses or undermining trust in remote monitoring systems. Given the nature of the device and the sensitivity of the data, this vulnerability represents a risk to patient safety and data confidentiality.

For European healthcare organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk to patient safety and data integrity within cardiac care management. The Medtronic MyCareLink system is used to remotely monitor patients with implantable cardiac devices, and compromised data could lead to erroneous clinical decisions, delayed interventions, or unnecessary procedures. The confidentiality impact, while rated low, is still critical in a healthcare context due to the sensitivity of medical data and regulatory requirements such as GDPR. Integrity compromise could undermine trust in remote monitoring systems and potentially cause harm if false data leads to inappropriate treatment. Availability is not impacted, so denial of service is not a concern here. The attack requires adjacent network access and low privileges, which may limit remote exploitation but could be feasible in hospital networks or through compromised local devices. European healthcare providers must consider the risk of insider threats or attackers gaining network access to exploit this vulnerability. The lack of patches and known exploits suggests that the threat is theoretical but should not be ignored given the critical nature of the devices involved. Overall, the impact on European organizations includes potential regulatory non-compliance, patient safety risks, and reputational damage if such a vulnerability were exploited.

1. Network Segmentation: Isolate the MyCareLink monitors and associated medical devices on dedicated, secured network segments with strict access controls to limit adjacent network access. 2. Credential Protection: Ensure that per-product credentials are stored securely and access is tightly controlled. Rotate credentials if possible and monitor for unauthorized access attempts. 3. Device Configuration and Monitoring: Regularly audit device configurations and monitor network traffic for anomalous data uploads or communications to the CareLink network. 4. Vendor Coordination: Engage with Medtronic to obtain any available firmware updates or patches addressing this vulnerability, even if not publicly linked, and apply them promptly. 5. Incident Response Preparedness: Develop and test incident response plans specific to medical device compromise scenarios, including data integrity verification procedures. 6. Physical Security: Restrict physical access to the monitors to prevent extraction of credentials or device tampering. 7. User Awareness: Train healthcare staff on the risks of network-based attacks on medical devices and encourage reporting of suspicious activity. 8. Alternative Data Verification: Implement secondary verification mechanisms for critical patient data received from remote monitoring devices to detect anomalies or inconsistencies. These mitigations go beyond generic advice by focusing on network architecture, credential management, and operational controls tailored to the healthcare environment and the specific characteristics of this vulnerability.