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The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have issued warnings regarding a critical security flaw in Contec CMS8000 patient monitors. These monitors, manufactured by a Chinese company, contain a hidden backdoor that allows for unauthorized remote access. This backdoor enables the devices to connect to a hard-coded IP address located at a third-party university in China, potentially allowing the download and execution of unverified files. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-0626 and CVE-2025-0683, impacts all analyzed firmware versions of the device.
The discovered backdoor poses a significant risk to patient safety and data privacy. It allows malicious actors to modify device settings, execute arbitrary code, and alter displayed vital signs. Furthermore, patient data, including personal and health information, is being sent in plain text to the hardcoded IP address. This unauthorized exfiltration of sensitive information and the potential for device manipulation could lead to improper medical responses and endanger patient well-being. CISA has stated that the backdoor is unlikely to be a normal update mechanism, noting it lacks any integrity-checking or version tracking, making it difficult for hospitals to detect compromised devices.
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The discovered backdoor poses a significant risk to patient safety and data privacy. It allows malicious actors to modify device settings, execute arbitrary code, and alter displayed vital signs. Furthermore, patient data, including personal and health information, is being sent in plain text to the hardcoded IP address. This unauthorized exfiltration of sensitive information and the potential for device manipulation could lead to improper medical responses and endanger patient well-being. CISA has stated that the backdoor is unlikely to be a normal update mechanism, noting it lacks any integrity-checking or version tracking, making it difficult for hospitals to detect compromised devices.
ImgSrc: www.fda.gov
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References :
- BleepingComputer: The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is warning that Contec CMS8000 devices, a widely used healthcare patient monitoring device, include a backdoor that quietly sends patient data to a remote IP address and downloads and executes files on the device.
- : CISA : CISA has an 11 page warning that a patient monitor known as Contec CMS8000 has an embedded backdoor with a hardcoded IP address which enables patient data spillage, or remote code execution (CISA puts forth a scenario where the device is altered to display inaccurate patient vital signs, which poses a serious risk to patient's safety).
- BleepingComputer: Backdoor found in two healthcare patient monitors, linked to IP in China
- www.bleepingcomputer.com: The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is warning that Contec CMS8000 devices, a widely used healthcare patient monitoring device, include a backdoor that quietly sends patient data to a remote IP address and downloads and executes files on the device.
- www.helpnetsecurity.com: Patient monitors with backdoor are sending info to China, CISA warns
- socradar.io: CISA Warns of Backdoor in Contec CMS8000 Patient Monitors
- The Hacker News: CISA and FDA Warn of Critical Backdoor in Contec CMS8000 Patient Monitors
- cyberinsider.com: CISA issues a warning about a backdoor in Contec CMS8000 patient monitors, highlighting the risk of remote code execution and patient data exfiltration.
- Help Net Security: Patient monitors with backdoor are sending info to China, CISA warns.
- thecyberexpress.com: Critical Flaws in Contec CMS8000 Allow Remote Code Execution and Patient Data Theft
- CyberInsider: Contec Monitors Used in U.S. Hospitals Carry Chinese Backdoor
- securityaffairs.com: The U.S. CISA and the FDA warned of a hidden backdoor in Contec CMS8000 and Epsimed MN-120 patient monitors.
- : Information about the backdoor found in Contec patient monitors.
- securityonline.info: The Contec CMS8000 patient monitors are vulnerable to remote attacks.
- ciso2ciso.com: Backdoor in Chinese-made healthcare monitoring device leaks patient data – Source: www.csoonline.com
- securityboulevard.com: Critical ‘Backdoor’ Discovered in Widely Used Healthcare Patient Monitors
- www.csoonline.com: Contec CMS8000 patient monitors are found to have a hidden backdoor that transmits patient data to a hardcoded IP address and executes files remotely.
- Security Boulevard: Critical ‘Backdoor’ Discovered in Widely Used Healthcare Patient Monitors
- therecord.media: CyberScoop article about the vulnerabilities in the monitors.
- Pyrzout :vm:: Contec CMS8000 patient monitors contain a hidden backdoor – Source: securityaffairs.com
- ciso2ciso.com: Contec CMS8000 patient monitors contain a hidden backdoor – Source: securityaffairs.com
- securityboulevard.com: Healthcare Crisis Emerges: Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Patient Monitors Confirmed by FDA
- Vulnerability-Lookup: A new bundle, CISA Releases Fact Sheet Detailing Embedded Backdoor Function of Contec CMS8000 Firmware, has been published on Vulnerability-Lookup:
- securityonline.info: The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued a critical security alert regarding the Contec CMS8000 patient monitors.
- securityonline.info: CISA Warns of Hidden Backdoor in Contec CMS8000 Patient Monitors
- www.cysecurity.news: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a safety communication highlighting cybersecurity vulnerabilities in certain patient monitors manufactured by Contec and relabeled by Epsimed.
- ciso2ciso.com: This news alert brings light to a critical backdoor discovered in widely used healthcare patient monitors.
- ciso2ciso.com: Critical ‘Backdoor’ Discovered in Widely Used Healthcare Patient Monitors
- Security Boulevard: CISA/FDA Warn: Chinese Patient Monitors Have BAD Bugs
- securityboulevard.com: CISA/FDA Warn: Chinese Patient Monitors Have BAD Bugs
- claroty.com: Do the CONTEC CMS8000 Patient Monitors Contain a Chinese Backdoor? The Reality is More Complicated…
- www.heise.de: Medical surveillance monitor: Backdoor discovered in Contec CMS8000 Attackers can attack medical hardware from Contec. This can result in malicious code getting onto devices. There has been no security update to date.
- : Claroty : There was increased interest in healthcare industry's patient monitors after CISA warned on 31 January 2025 that . Claroty's Team82 actually previously investigated the firmware and reached the conclusion that it is most likely not a hidden backdoor, but instead an insecure/vulnerable design that introduces great risk to the patient monitor users and hospital networks. Their conclusion is mainly based on the fact that the vendor—and resellers who re-label and sell the monitor—list the IP address in their manuals and instruct users to configure the Central Management System (CMS) with this IP address within their internal networks. h/t: ; cc: Note: there's associated vulnerabilities: (CVSSv4: 7.7/v3.1: 7.5 high) Hidden Functionality vulnerability in Contec Health CMS8000 Patient Monitor (CVSSv4: 8.2 high/v3.1: 5.9 medium) Exposure of Private Personal Information to an Unauthorized Actor vulnerability in Contec Health CMS8000 Patient Monitor