CVE-2018-8868
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedMedtronic 24950 MyCareLink Monitor and 24952 MyCareLink Monitor contains debug code meant to test the functionality of the monitor's communication interfaces, including the interface between the monitor and implantable cardiac device. An attacker with physical access to the device can exploit other vulnerabilities to access this debug functionality. This debug functionality provides the ability to read and write arbitrary memory values to implantable cardiac devices via inductive or short range wireless protocols. An attacker with close physical proximity to a target implantable cardiac device can use this debug functionality.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThe Medtronic 24950 and 24952 MyCareLink Monitors contain exposed debug code that was intended for factory testing of communication interfaces, including the inductive wireless link to implantable cardiac devices. An attacker with physical access to the monitor can chain this with other vulnerabilities to activate the debug functionality, which then allows reading and writing arbitrary memory values to nearby implantable cardiac devices via short-range wireless protocols.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE dataall versionsall versionsCVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Physical
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:L
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify your MyCareLink Monitor model numberLocate the model number on the device label or packaging - look for '24950' or '24952'Affected if The model number matches 24950 or 24952
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Confirm the device is a Medtronic MyCareLink MonitorCheck the device branding and product name on the physical device or documentationAffected if The device is branded as a Medtronic MyCareLink Monitor with model 24950 or 24952
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Determine if the device firmware contains debug functionalityExamine the firmware binary or system files for debug code patterns (common debug interfaces, test modes, or factory test menus)Affected if Debug code, test interfaces, or factory test modes are present in the firmware
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Assess physical access controls to the monitorEvaluate whether the device is in a secured location or accessible to unauthorized individualsAffected if Physical access to the device is not restricted or controlled
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Check for inductive wireless communication configurationReview device settings or network configuration for inductive wireless link functionality used to communicate with implantable cardiac devicesAffected if Inductive wireless communication interface is enabled or configurable on the device
You are affected if you have a Medtronic MyCareLink Monitor model 24950 or 24952, as all firmware versions contain the exposed debug code that can be triggered with physical access to exploit the inductive wireless link to implantable devices.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataDisable or remove debug code from production firmware; implement physical access controls on the monitor device; coordinate with Medtronic for a firmware update that removes debug functionality; consider network segmentation and monitoring for anomalous inductive wireless communication.
- Consultation16.0 h
- Implementation24.0 h
- Testing20.0 h
- Review / QA12.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $20,288.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2018-8868 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2018-8868 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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