Critical Vulnerability in ZOLL ePCR iOS App Exposes PHI and Telemetry Data

Critical Vulnerability in ZOLL ePCR iOS Mobile Application

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has disclosed a critical vulnerability in the ZOLL ePCR iOS Mobile Application that could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to protected health information (PHI) and device telemetry data. The advisory, published as ICSMA-26-041-01, highlights risks to healthcare providers using affected versions of the application.

Technical Details

While CISA’s advisory does not specify the exact versions impacted or the CVE ID associated with this vulnerability, it confirms that successful exploitation could lead to:

• Unauthorized access to PHI, including patient records and sensitive medical data.
• Exposure of device telemetry, potentially revealing operational metrics or system configurations.

The advisory references a Common Security Advisory Framework (CSAF) document for further technical details, available here. Security teams are advised to review this document for indicators of compromise (IOCs) and mitigation strategies.

Impact Analysis

Healthcare organizations relying on the ZOLL ePCR iOS Mobile Application for emergency patient care reporting face significant risks:

• Data Breach Compliance Violations: Unauthorized access to PHI may result in violations of HIPAA or other regulatory frameworks, leading to fines or legal action.
• Operational Disruption: Compromised telemetry data could disrupt emergency medical services (EMS) workflows or expose vulnerabilities in connected medical devices.
• Reputational Damage: A breach of patient data could erode trust among patients and partners, impacting long-term business relationships.

Recommendations

CISA urges healthcare providers and security teams to take the following steps:

1. Review the CSAF Document: Analyze the CSAF advisory for technical details and mitigation guidance.
2. Apply Patches or Workarounds: Once ZOLL releases updates or mitigations, apply them immediately to affected versions of the app.
3. Monitor for Suspicious Activity: Implement logging and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts or data exfiltration.
4. Restrict Access: Limit app permissions and network access to minimize exposure until patches are deployed.
5. Engage with ZOLL Support: Contact ZOLL’s security team for version-specific guidance or temporary mitigations.

Security professionals should prioritize this vulnerability due to its potential impact on patient privacy and critical healthcare operations. Further updates are expected as CISA or ZOLL release additional details.

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For more information, refer to the CISA advisory.