Cyble Warns of Patient Monitor Risk in ICS Vulnerability Report

Cyble’s weekly industrial control system (ICS) vulnerability report to clients included a warning about a severe vulnerability in a patient monitor that could potentially compromise patient safety.

In all, the report covered 36 ICS, operational technology (OT) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) vulnerabilities, 31 of which affect critical manufacturing and energy systems. Ten of the 36 vulnerabilities were rated “critical” and 17 carried high-risk ratings.

Patient Monitor Vulnerability Carries a 9.8 Risk Rating

The patient monitor vulnerability, CVE-2024-12248, was one of three flaws in Contec Health CMS8000 Patient Monitors that were addressed in a January 30 advisory from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). CISA said the vulnerabilities were reported to the agency anonymously.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also issued an alert about the vulnerabilities the same day. The FDA said the flaws “may put patients at risk after being connected to the internet,” but added that the agency “is not aware of any cybersecurity incidents, injuries, or deaths related to these cybersecurity vulnerabilities at this time.”

The FDA advisory contained recommendations for patients and caregivers for mitigating the risk that included the following advice:

“If your health care provider confirms that your device relies on remote monitoring features, unplug the device and stop using it. Talk to your health care provider about finding an alternative patient monitor.”

CVE-2024-12248 received a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8, just below the maximum severity rating of 10.0. The out-of-bounds write (CWE-787) flaw could allow an attacker to send specially formatted UDP requests to write arbitrary data, potentially resulting in remote code execution.

Cyble warned that the vulnerabilities “pose a severe security risk, requiring immediate remediation. These flaws include a hardcoded backdoor account that could allow unauthorized remote access, potentially leading to the manipulation of critical patient data or device functionality. Given that these monitors are used in healthcare settings to track vital signs, exploitation could compromise patient safety, disrupt hospital operations, and violate HIPAA regulations. Since no software patch is currently available, all affected devices should be immediately disconnected from networks, with usage limited to local monitoring only.”

Affected Contec Health products include:

  • CMS8000 Patient Monitor: Firmware version smart3250-2.6.27-wlan2.1.7.cramfs

  • CMS8000 Patient Monitor: Firmware version CMS7.820.075.08/0.74(0.75)

  • CMS8000 Patient Monitor: Firmware version CMS7.820.120.01/0.93(0.95)

  • CMS8000 Patient Monitor: All versions (CVE-2025-0626, CVE-2025-0683)

The FDA advisory said Epsimed MN-120 patient monitors are affected by the vulnerabilities too.

Recommendations for Mitigating ICS Vulnerabilities

Cyble recommends several controls for mitigating ICS vulnerabilities and improving the overall security of ICS systems. These measures include:

  1. Staying on top of security advisories and patch alerts issued by vendors and regulatory bodies like CISA. A risk-based approach to vulnerability management reduces the risk of exploitation.

  2. Implementing a Zero-Trust Policy to minimize exposure and ensure that all internal and external network traffic is scrutinized and validated.

  3. Developing a comprehensive patch management strategy that covers inventory management, patch assessment, testing, deployment, and verification. Automating these processes can help maintain consistency and improve efficiency.

  4. Proper network segmentation can limit the potential damage caused by an attacker and prevent lateral movement across networks. This is particularly important for securing critical ICS assets.

  5. Conducting regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify gaps in security that might be exploited by threat actors.

  6. Establishing and maintaining an incident response plan and ensuring that it is tested and updated regularly to adapt to the latest threats.

  7. All employees, especially those working with Operational Technology (OT) systems, should be required to undergo ongoing cybersecurity training programs. The training should focus on recognizing phishing attempts, following authentication procedures, and understanding the importance of cybersecurity practices in day-to-day operations.

Conclusion

Medical device vulnerabilities show in stark terms the danger that critical infrastructure vulnerabilities can pose to a single patient, but vulnerabilities in other critical infrastructure systems such as water or transportation can be concerning on a much larger scale.

Regardless of the sector, staying on top of ICS vulnerabilities and applying good cybersecurity hygiene and controls can limit risk, and that includes limiting internet exposure and properly protecting assets that must be accessed remotely.

To access the full report on ICS vulnerabilities observed by Cyble, along with additional insights and details, click here. By adopting a comprehensive, multi-layered security approach that includes effective vulnerability management, timely patching, and ongoing employee training, organizations can reduce their exposure to cyber threats. With the right tools and intelligence, such as those offered by Cyble, critical infrastructure can be better protected, ensuring its resilience and security in an increasingly complex cyber landscape.

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