CVE-2018-10631 is a vulnerability identified in the Medtronic 8840 N’Vision Clinician Programmer and its 8870 N’Vision removable application card. The core issue is the lack of encryption for sensitive data, specifically Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI), while this data is stored at rest on the device. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-311 (Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data) and CWE-284 (Improper Access Control). The Medtronic 8840 N’Vision Clinician Programmer is a medical device used by clinicians to program and manage implantable cardiac devices. The absence of encryption means that if an attacker gains physical or logical access to the device or its removable storage, they could extract sensitive patient data without needing to bypass encryption protections. The CVSS v3.1 score for this vulnerability is 4.6 (medium severity), with the vector indicating that the attack requires physical access (AV:P - Physical), has low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts confidentiality (C:H) but not integrity or availability. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no patches have been published as of the data provided. The vulnerability affects all versions of the product, indicating a systemic design issue rather than a flaw in a specific release. Given the nature of the device and the data involved, this vulnerability poses a significant privacy risk, potentially exposing sensitive health information to unauthorized parties if the device or its storage media are lost, stolen, or accessed by malicious insiders.

For European organizations, particularly healthcare providers and medical institutions using Medtronic’s 8840 N’Vision Clinician Programmer, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive patient data, violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. The exposure of PII and PHI can result in severe legal and financial penalties, loss of patient trust, and reputational damage. Additionally, compromised patient data could be used for identity theft, insurance fraud, or targeted attacks against individuals. While the vulnerability does not directly affect device functionality or patient safety, the breach of confidentiality is critical in the healthcare context. The requirement for physical access somewhat limits remote exploitation, but insider threats or theft of devices remain significant risks. European healthcare organizations must consider this vulnerability in their risk assessments and compliance frameworks, as failure to protect patient data adequately can have cascading regulatory and operational consequences.

1. Physical Security: Strengthen physical security controls around the Medtronic 8840 N’Vision Clinician Programmer devices and their removable application cards to prevent unauthorized access or theft. 2. Data Handling Policies: Implement strict policies for handling, transporting, and storing devices containing sensitive data, including secure chain-of-custody procedures. 3. Device Decommissioning: Ensure secure wiping or destruction of data on devices and removable media before disposal or reassignment. 4. Network Segmentation: Isolate these devices within secure network segments with restricted access to minimize exposure. 5. Access Controls: Limit access to authorized personnel only, with robust authentication and logging to detect unauthorized attempts. 6. Encryption Workarounds: Where possible, use external encryption solutions or secure containers for data storage on removable media until a vendor patch or update is available. 7. Vendor Engagement: Engage with Medtronic for updates or patches addressing this vulnerability and monitor for any future security advisories. 8. Incident Response: Prepare incident response plans specifically for potential data breaches involving these devices, including notification procedures compliant with GDPR.