CVE-2022-42892 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in Siemens syngo Dynamics, a medical imaging software platform used primarily in healthcare environments. The vulnerability is classified as a Relative Path Traversal (CWE-23) and affects all versions of syngo Dynamics prior to VA40G HF01. The issue arises from improper write access control in a web service operation hosted by the syngo Dynamics application server. Specifically, this flaw allows an attacker to perform directory listing on any folder accessible to the account assigned to the website’s application pool. This means that an unauthenticated remote attacker can potentially enumerate files and directories within the scope of the application pool’s permissions without requiring user interaction or elevated privileges. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.3, reflecting a network attack vector with low complexity, no privileges required, and no user interaction, but with limited impact confined to confidentiality (information disclosure) without affecting integrity or availability. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and Siemens has released a fixed version (VA40G HF01) to address this issue, although no direct patch links were provided in the source information. The vulnerability could allow attackers to gain insight into the file structure and contents accessible to the application, potentially aiding further targeted attacks or information gathering in sensitive medical environments.

For European organizations, particularly healthcare providers and medical institutions using Siemens syngo Dynamics, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized information disclosure. The ability to list directories remotely can expose sensitive configuration files, patient data, or other critical information stored within the application’s accessible directories. While the vulnerability does not directly allow modification or disruption of services, the leaked information could facilitate subsequent attacks such as credential theft, lateral movement, or exploitation of other vulnerabilities. Given the sensitive nature of medical data and strict regulatory frameworks like GDPR in Europe, even limited confidentiality breaches can lead to significant compliance issues, reputational damage, and potential legal penalties. Additionally, healthcare organizations are high-value targets for cyber adversaries, including ransomware groups and nation-state actors, making exploitation of such vulnerabilities a concern. The impact is thus amplified by the criticality of the affected systems in patient care workflows and the potential cascading effects on healthcare delivery.

1. Immediate upgrade to syngo Dynamics version VA40G HF01 or later, as provided by Siemens, to remediate the vulnerability. 2. Restrict the permissions of the application pool account to the minimum necessary, ensuring it cannot access sensitive directories or files beyond what is strictly required for operation. 3. Implement network segmentation and firewall rules to limit external access to the syngo Dynamics application server’s web services, allowing only trusted internal systems or VPN connections. 4. Enable detailed logging and monitoring of web service access to detect unusual directory listing attempts or reconnaissance activities. 5. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on web services and file system access controls within medical imaging infrastructure. 6. Educate IT and security teams in healthcare organizations about this specific vulnerability and encourage timely patch management practices. 7. If immediate patching is not feasible, consider deploying web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to block path traversal patterns and directory listing requests targeting the vulnerable endpoints.