CVE-2019-25722: Hard-Coded Credentials and DoS in Dräger Patient Monitoring Devices

Technical summary

CVE-2019-25722 affects Dräger SC series monitoring devices (SC 6002XL, SC 6802XL, SC 7000, SC 8000, SC 9000 XL) across all software versions. The vulnerability has two components: (1) hard-coded plaintext credentials in source code allow local attackers to authenticate as service or clinical accounts and modify device configuration; (2) a denial-of-service condition is triggered by remotely sending malformed network packets, causing repeated reboots that result in loss of network connectivity. The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.6 (HIGH) reflects the combination of authentication bypass and high-impact availability loss, with the attack vector being adjacent network or local. CWE-798 (hard-coded credentials) is the primary weakness.

Business impact

In operational hospital settings, this vulnerability creates dual risks: unauthorized clinical staff can alter monitoring parameters without audit trails, potentially masking or misrepresenting patient vital signs; simultaneously, remote attackers can disable devices entirely by forcing repeated reboots, creating gaps in patient supervision and triggering alarm fatigue. The disruption to network connectivity means that central monitoring stations lose real-time telemetry, complicating clinical decision-making during critical moments. Remediation delays expose institutions to both regulatory scrutiny (FDA, hospital accreditation bodies) and liability if patient harm occurs during an outage or due to unauthorized configuration changes.

Affected systems

All software versions of the following Dräger SC series are affected: SC 6002XL, SC 6802XL, SC 7000, SC 8000, and SC 9000 XL. No vendor advisory specifying fixed software versions has been provided in the source data; verify remediation status directly with Dräger and cross-reference any available patches or firmware updates against the affected device serial numbers and current installed versions in your inventory.

Exploitability

Local exploitation is straightforward: an attacker with physical device access can extract or guess hard-coded credentials from source code or firmware, then use them to log in and alter settings. Remote exploitation also requires minimal complexity—sending malformed network packets to trigger a denial-of-service condition does not require authentication or user interaction. The attack surface is notable because patient monitoring devices are typically on trusted hospital networks, so internal threat actors (disgruntled staff, compromised accounts) and network-adjacent attackers pose realistic risks. Public exploit code availability is not confirmed; however, the simplicity of both attack vectors (credential reuse and malformed packet injection) suggests that weaponization is feasible.

Remediation

Contact Dräger immediately to obtain patched firmware or software updates for your affected device models. If patches are unavailable or delayed, implement compensating controls: (1) physically restrict device access to authorized clinical and biomedical staff; (2) isolate monitoring devices on a segmented VLAN with strict network access controls (whitelist only legitimate monitoring station and integration endpoints); (3) monitor device logs for unexpected login attempts or configuration changes; (4) consider temporary redundancy (backup monitoring equipment or secondary telemetry) for the most critical patient care areas. Test any firmware update in a non-production environment before deployment.

Patch guidance

Verify the current firmware or software version installed on each affected device (SC 6002XL, SC 6802XL, SC 7000, SC 8000, SC 9000 XL) through the device interface or administrative console. Consult Dräger's support portal and security advisories for the availability of patched versions. When patches are available, follow Dräger's documented update procedures, which typically require device downtime; coordinate with clinical staff and scheduling to minimize patient monitoring interruptions. Document the pre- and post-patch versions for compliance and audit purposes. If patches are not yet available, escalate to Dräger support to confirm timeline and request interim guidance (e.g., firmware backports or extended support).

Detection guidance

Monitor device logs for failed and successful login attempts, especially to service and clinical accounts, and flag any unexpected or out-of-hours access. Track configuration changes via the device's audit trail (if available), and alert on any modifications to monitoring parameters, alarm thresholds, or network settings. At the network level, capture and analyze traffic patterns to the monitoring devices; look for repeated reboot cycles (evidenced by device disconnect/reconnect events or resets in connection state) that could indicate a denial-of-service attack. Establish baseline traffic profiles and alert on anomalous packet types or volumes directed at these devices. Correlate reboots with any observed network anomalies or intrusion detection alerts.

Why prioritize this

Although not yet listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, the combination of unauthenticated remote denial-of-service and hard-coded credential authentication makes this vulnerability a high-priority target for adversaries in healthcare-focused campaigns. The directly exploitable nature and the critical role of these devices in patient care—any disruption poses immediate safety risks—warrant urgent remediation efforts. Organizations should treat this as a category-1 priority in medical device security roadmaps, behind only zero-day or actively exploited vulnerabilities.

Risk score, explained

The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.6 (HIGH) is driven by: (1) Attack Vector: Adjacent (AV:A)—the device is typically on a hospital network, making it accessible to internal or network-adjacent attackers without internet traversal; (2) Access Complexity: Low (AC:L)—hard-coded credentials and denial-of-service mechanics require no sophisticated tooling; (3) Privileges Required: None (PR:N)—no prior authentication or privileges needed for the DoS vector; (4) User Interaction: None (UI:N)—attacks succeed autonomously; (5) Confidentiality & Integrity: Low (C:L, I:L)—credentials allow unauthorized access and configuration changes but not full system takeover; (6) Availability: High (A:H)—denial-of-service causes complete loss of device functionality. The score reflects serious but not critical severity; remediation should not wait, but the risk is manageable with compensating controls.

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