CVE-2020-27298 is an OS command injection vulnerability identified in multiple versions of Philips Interventional Workspot software (Releases 1.3.2, 1.4.0, 1.4.1, 1.4.3, and 1.4.5), as well as related Philips products such as Coronary Tools/Dynamic Coronary Roadmap/Stentboost Live (Release 1.0) and ViewForum (Release 6.3V1L10). The vulnerability arises because the software constructs operating system commands using input that originates from upstream components without properly sanitizing or neutralizing special characters that could alter the intended command. This improper input validation allows an attacker to inject arbitrary OS commands that the system executes, potentially leading to denial of service or other disruptions. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string (AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H) shows that the attack requires adjacent network access (AV:A), has low attack complexity (AC:L), requires no privileges (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts availability only (A:H) without affecting confidentiality or integrity. No known exploits have been reported in the wild to date. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command), a common and critical injection weakness. The affected software is used in clinical environments for interventional cardiology procedures, meaning the systems are critical for patient care workflows. Exploitation could disrupt availability of these systems, potentially delaying or interrupting medical procedures. The lack of patches or mitigations published alongside this CVE suggests that organizations must rely on compensating controls until official fixes are available.

For European healthcare organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the availability of critical medical imaging and interventional cardiology systems. Philips Interventional Workspot and associated products are widely used in hospitals and clinics across Europe for guiding minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures. Disruption or denial of service caused by exploitation of this OS command injection could delay urgent medical interventions, impacting patient safety and care quality. Although the vulnerability does not directly compromise confidentiality or integrity, the loss of availability in a clinical setting can have severe consequences. Additionally, healthcare providers are subject to strict regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR, NIS Directive) mandating the protection of critical infrastructure and continuity of care. An attack exploiting this vulnerability could lead to regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage, and potential legal liabilities. The medium CVSS score reflects the limited attack surface (adjacent network access required) but the critical nature of the affected systems elevates the operational impact. European healthcare institutions must consider this vulnerability in their risk assessments and incident response planning, especially given the lack of known exploits but the potential for targeted attacks against healthcare infrastructure.

1. Network Segmentation: Restrict access to Philips Interventional Workspot systems to trusted, isolated network segments. Limit adjacent network access to only authorized devices and personnel to reduce the attack surface. 2. Access Controls: Implement strict access control policies and monitoring on systems hosting the affected software. Use network-level authentication and device whitelisting where possible. 3. Input Validation Monitoring: Although patching is not currently available, monitor logs and system behavior for unusual command executions or anomalies that could indicate attempted injection. 4. Vendor Engagement: Engage with Philips support to obtain any available patches, updates, or recommended mitigations. Stay informed of any new advisories or firmware/software updates addressing this vulnerability. 5. Incident Response Preparedness: Develop and test incident response plans specific to potential denial of service or system disruption scenarios involving interventional cardiology systems. 6. System Hardening: Where feasible, apply OS-level hardening measures such as disabling unnecessary command interpreters or restricting execution privileges for the affected software processes. 7. Network Intrusion Detection: Deploy and tune IDS/IPS solutions to detect suspicious command injection patterns or anomalous traffic targeting these systems. 8. Backup and Recovery: Ensure robust backup procedures for critical system configurations and data to enable rapid recovery in case of disruption.