Overview
The MicroDicom DICOM Viewer, a widely used software for viewing and analyzing medical images, has been found to possess a critical vulnerability termed as CVE-2025-5943. This flaw exposes the system to potential remote attacks, which, if successfully exploited, can lead to system compromise or data leakage. The gravity of this issue is amplified by the sensitive nature of the data often handled by this software, making it a matter of utmost concern for healthcare organizations and professionals using the software.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-5943
Severity: High (8.8 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
MicroDicom DICOM Viewer | All versions prior to the patch
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability arises from an out-of-bounds write error in the MicroDicom DICOM Viewer. This error can be exploited by a remote attacker to inject arbitrary code into the system. The attacker can craft a malicious DICOM file or construct a harmful website targeting this vulnerability. When the user interacts with either of these – by opening the file or visiting the website – the arbitrary code gets executed, potentially compromising the system or leading to a data breach.
Conceptual Example Code
A conceptual example of how this vulnerability could be exploited might be a DICOM file with a specially crafted malicious payload. Below is a simplified representation of this concept:
POST /upload DICOM File HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/dicom
{ "malicious_payload": "injected_code" }In the example above, an HTTP POST request is made to upload a DICOM file. The “malicious_payload” is the injected code that takes advantage of the out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the DICOM Viewer. When the user opens this file, the malicious code gets executed.
Mitigation Guidance
To mitigate the risk posed by this vulnerability, users are strongly advised to apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available. Until then, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can serve as a temporary mitigation measure. Regularly updating and patching the software, and avoiding opening DICOM files from untrusted sources, can also help in reducing the risk of exploitation.