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CVE Record

CVE-2018-10596: Medtronic 2090 Carelink Programmer Improper Restriction of Communication Channel to Intended Endpoints

Medtronic 2090 CareLink Programmer uses a virtual private network connection to securely download updates. It does not verify it is still connected to this virtual private network before downloading updates. The affected products initially establish an encapsulated IP-based VPN connection to a Medtronic-hosted update network. Once the VPN is established, it makes a request to a HTTP (non-TLS) server across the VPN for updates, which responds and provides any available updates. The programmer-side (client) service responsible for this HTTP request does not check to ensure it is still connected to the VPN before making the HTTP request. Thus, an attacker could cause the VPN connection to terminate (through various methods and attack points) and intercept the HTTP request, responding with malicious updates via a man-in-the-middle attack. The affected products do not verify the origin or integrity of these updates, as it insufficiently relied on the security of the VPN. An attacker with remote network access to the programmer could influence these communications.

HighCVSS 7.1Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This flaw could let a network-positioned attacker interfere with how Medtronic programmers receive updates. The device may keep requesting updates over plain HTTP after its VPN connection is lost, and it may not verify update origin or integrity. That creates risk of malicious update delivery if several conditions are met.

Executive priority

Treat as a high-priority medical device network risk, especially where affected programmers are reachable from broader networks. Prioritize segmentation, vendor guidance review, and operational controls over emergency disruption of clinical workflows.

Technical view

CVE-2018-10596 is a CWE-923 communication endpoint restriction failure affecting Medtronic 2090 CareLink Programmer and 29901 Encore Programmer, all versions. The update client establishes a VPN, then uses non-TLS HTTP and does not confirm the VPN remains active. CVSS is 7.1 high, with network attack vector, high complexity, low privileges, and user interaction.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely in healthcare environments using the affected Medtronic programmer systems for device support or updates. Risk depends on whether an attacker can gain remote network access to the programmer and influence update communications.

Exploitation context

The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. Exploitation is not trivial: the attacker needs network access, a way to disrupt or bypass the VPN state, and a man-in-the-middle position during update retrieval.

Researcher notes

Key uncertainty is remediation detail: the provided bundle describes the vulnerability and references advisories but does not provide a specific patch statement. Analysis should stay focused on update-channel trust, VPN-state validation, lack of TLS, and absent origin/integrity checks.

Mitigation direction

  • Review Medtronic and CISA guidance for supported remediation or compensating controls.
  • Restrict programmer connectivity to trusted clinical and update networks only.
  • Avoid using untrusted networks for programmer update activity.
  • Monitor for unexpected VPN drops or anomalous update traffic.
  • Include affected programmers in medical device asset risk reviews.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Medtronic 2090 CareLink and 29901 Encore Programmer deployments.
  • Confirm whether affected programmers can reach external or untrusted networks.
  • Review network logs for HTTP update traffic outside the intended VPN path.
  • Check vendor advisories for current operational guidance and any updates.
  • Verify clinical teams follow controlled update procedures.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
5

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

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cwe · low confidence lookup

CWE-923: Exact CWE lookup

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2018-10596 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.1 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
4Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.1CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.25.9Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.1High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2018-10596Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
Medtronic2090 CareLink ProgrammerAll versionsunaffected
Medtronic29901 Encore ProgrammerAll versionsunaffected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-923 · source CWE mapping

Improper Restriction of Communication Channel to Intended Endpoints

Improper Restriction of Communication Channel to Intended Endpoints represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.