
Source: CISA
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued a critical security alert regarding the Contec CMS8000, a widely used patient monitor in the healthcare sector. According to CISA’s report, the device contains an embedded backdoor with a hard-coded IP address, which could allow unauthorized remote access and compromise patient safety. These vulnerabilities are tracked as CVE-2025-0626 and CVE-2025-0683, both of which impact all analyzed firmware versions.
CISA’s security assessment revealed that all tested versions of the Contec CMS8000 firmware contained a backdoor function that facilitates remote access without proper authentication. This function was discovered after security researchers noticed anomalous network traffic, prompting a deeper investigation.
According to the report, the backdoor establishes a connection to a hard-coded IP address, which was found to be linked to a third-party university rather than a medical facility or manufacturer. CISA states, “The reverse backdoor provides automated connectivity to a hard-coded IP address from the Contec CMS8000 devices, allowing the device to download and execute unverified remote files.”
The presence of this backdoor is not just a technical flaw—it poses a direct risk to patient safety. If exploited, attackers could modify device settings, execute arbitrary code, and potentially alter the displayed vital signs, which could mislead medical staff.
CISA warns that “this introduces risk to patient safety as a malfunctioning monitor could lead to improper responses to vital signs displayed by the device.”
Furthermore, CVE-2025-0683 identifies another flaw related to patient data exposure, allowing unauthorized access to private medical information.
How the Exploit Works
- The backdoor enables automated remote connectivity via a hard-coded NFS mount.
- It lacks any integrity-checking mechanisms or version tracking, meaning attackers could modify files undetected.
- The device automatically downloads and executes files from an external source without authentication.
- The IP address used by the backdoor is hard-coded rather than dynamically resolved, making detection more difficult.
According to CISA’s technical report: “When the function is executed, files on the device are forcibly overwritten, preventing the end customer—such as a hospital—from maintaining awareness of what software is running on the device.”
In addition to the backdoor, the CMS8000 monitor also transmits sensitive patient data to an external IP without encryption. The device automatically beacons to the hard-coded IP address upon startup and begins transmitting patient data via port 515, a port typically reserved for Line Printer Daemon (LPD) services, rather than using secure medical data protocols.
CISA’s report notes: “Upon startup, the patient monitor successfully connected to the simulated IP address and immediately began streaming patient data to the address.”
At this time, there is no vendor-provided security patch to resolve these issues, making mitigation strategies essential.
CISA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have issued recommendations for patients, healthcare providers, and hospital IT teams:
For Patients and Caregivers:
- Consult your healthcare provider to determine if your patient monitor relies on remote connections.
- Disconnect the device from the internet by unplugging Ethernet cables and disabling Wi-Fi.
- Seek alternative monitoring devices that do not contain these vulnerabilities.
For Healthcare Providers and IT Staff:
- Physically disconnect affected devices from any network connection.
- Check patient monitors for inconsistencies between displayed vitals and actual patient conditions.
- Report any abnormalities to the FDA and CISA.
CISA stresses that: “If you cannot disable the wireless capabilities, unplug the device and stop using it. Talk to your healthcare provider about finding an alternative patient monitor.”
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