CVE-2019-25717: Dräger Patient Monitor Information Disclosure Vulnerability

Technical summary

CVE-2019-25717 is an information disclosure vulnerability (CWE-538: Information Exposure Through Query Strings) affecting three Dräger patient monitor product lines. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls on log file endpoints, permitting unauthenticated retrieval of diagnostic and configuration data over the network. The CVSS 3.1 score of 4.3 (Medium) reflects a local network attack vector (AV:A), low complexity exploitation (AC:L), and confidentiality impact limited to non-critical information. No integrity or availability impact is present.

Business impact

Patient monitor logs may expose operational metadata including device diagnostics, facility location information, and network topology details. While not directly enabling patient safety incidents, this information disclosure could inform reconnaissance for follow-on attacks targeting hospital infrastructure. Compliance implications exist under HIPAA (location/facility details) and state privacy regulations. Reputation and trust concerns may arise if breach disclosure occurs.

Affected systems

All firmware versions of the Dräger Infinity Delta, Infinity Delta XL, and Kappa patient monitors are affected. Verify specific firmware versions and patch availability directly from Dräger product security advisories. Organizations should inventory these devices across all care units and clinical settings.

Exploitability

Exploitation requires network access to the affected monitor (local network segment or remote access network). An attacker must identify an exposed device and request log file endpoints without authentication. No user interaction is required. The attack is straightforward to execute but depends on network positioning. This vulnerability is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, indicating no publicly known active exploitation at this time.

Remediation

Apply Dräger security updates as released by the vendor. Consult the official Dräger product security advisory for specific patch version numbers and deployment procedures. Interim controls include network segmentation: restrict patient monitor network access to essential clinical and monitoring systems only, and implement network access controls to prevent unauthorized devices from reaching monitor log endpoints.

Patch guidance

Contact Dräger technical support or visit the Dräger product security page to obtain firmware updates for the Infinity Delta, Delta XL, and Kappa. Verify patch availability and compatibility with your deployed firmware version before deployment. Test patches in a non-critical environment first, as patient monitor firmware updates require careful change management. Document patch application and verify post-update that device functionality is restored.

Detection guidance

Monitor network traffic for HTTP/HTTPS requests to log file endpoints on patient monitor IP addresses, especially requests lacking authentication headers. Implement network-based detection rules for common log file paths (e.g., /logs, /debug, /diagnostics) on Dräger device ports. Enable device logging and audit trails to capture any unauthorized access attempts. Review firewall and network access logs for unexpected connections to patient monitor segments from non-clinical systems.

Why prioritize this

Although rated Medium severity, prioritize this vulnerability for mid-stage remediation. Patient monitors are critical-care devices, and any information disclosure on such equipment carries compliance and reputation risk. The local network attack vector limits immediate threat surface but does not eliminate it—especially in hospitals with converged IT/OT networks or remote monitoring capabilities. Remediate before external-facing network expansions or critical infrastructure assessments.

Risk score, explained

The CVSS 3.1 score of 4.3 reflects confidentiality impact (disclosure of device internals, location, network configuration) with no integrity or availability impact. The local network attack vector (AV:A) and lack of user interaction (UI:N) lower the score relative to remote exploitability. The vulnerability does not directly endanger patient safety or device operation, but information exposure poses indirect organizational and compliance risks. Organizations in high-security or regulated environments may assign higher internal risk ratings due to sensitivity of disclosed data.

Frequently asked questions