CVE-2024-53522 Overview
CVE-2024-53522 affects Bangkok Medical Software HOSxP XE v4.64.11.3, a hospital information system used across healthcare environments. The application ships with a hardcoded International Data Encryption Algorithm (IDEA) Key-IV pair embedded in the HOSxPXE4.exe binary and the HOS-WIN32.INI configuration file. Attackers who extract these static cryptographic materials can decrypt sensitive data protected by the application. The vulnerability maps to [CWE-331: Insufficient Entropy] and falls under the hardcoded credentials and weak cryptography categories.
Critical Impact
A remote attacker can recover the static IDEA key and IV to decrypt sensitive medical and configuration data without authentication or user interaction.
Affected Products
- Bangkok Medical Software HOSxP XE v4.64.11.3
- HOSxPXE4.exe component
- HOS-WIN32.INI configuration component
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-01-07 - CVE-2024-53522 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-53522
Vulnerability Analysis
The HOSxP XE client uses the IDEA symmetric cipher to protect sensitive values, including database connection parameters and stored records. The implementation embeds the same Key and Initialization Vector (IV) pair in every distributed copy of the software. Because the cipher inputs are static and shared across installations, the encryption provides no meaningful confidentiality once an attacker obtains a single copy of HOSxPXE4.exe or HOS-WIN32.INI.
An attacker with network access to encrypted artifacts, such as captured database traffic or exfiltrated configuration files, can apply the recovered key material to recover cleartext. The vulnerability does not require authentication, privileges, or user interaction, and impacts confidentiality of protected data.
Root Cause
The root cause is the use of hardcoded cryptographic material in the binary and INI file. The cipher key and IV are not derived from per-installation entropy, user secrets, or a key management system. This design defeats the security guarantees of IDEA and allows any party in possession of the application to decrypt data produced by any other installation.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based. An attacker extracts the IDEA Key-IV pair through static analysis of the distributed HOSxPXE4.exe binary or by reading the HOS-WIN32.INI file. The attacker then applies those values to any encrypted blob captured from HOSxP XE traffic, backup files, or shared configuration data. Refer to the SafeCloud Blog on CVE-2024-53522 for additional technical detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-53522
Indicators of Compromise
- Presence of HOSxPXE4.exe version 4.64.11.3 or earlier on healthcare endpoints.
- Unexpected reads or copies of HOS-WIN32.INI from workstations or file shares.
- Outbound transfers of HOSxP configuration or database files to untrusted destinations.
Detection Strategies
- Inventory endpoints for installations of HOSxP XE and flag any running version 4.64.11.3.
- Hunt for static analysis tooling, such as disassemblers or hex editors, executed against HOSxPXE4.exe on clinical workstations.
- Alert on access to HOS-WIN32.INI by accounts or processes outside the documented HOSxP runtime.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Capture and review network captures involving HOSxP database traffic for offline cryptographic analysis attempts.
- Monitor file integrity on the HOSxP installation directory and INI configuration files.
- Forward HOSxP application logs and host telemetry to a centralized analytics platform for retention and correlation.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-53522
Immediate Actions Required
- Contact Bangkok Medical Software to obtain a fixed release or vendor guidance for HOSxP XE.
- Restrict access to HOSxPXE4.exe and HOS-WIN32.INI to authorized clinical workstations and administrators only.
- Rotate any credentials, database passwords, or secrets that were stored or transmitted protected only by the hardcoded IDEA key.
Patch Information
No vendor patch reference is published in the available CVE data. Consult the HOSXP Official Site and the SafeCloud Blog on CVE-2024-53522 for vendor updates and remediation details.
Workarounds
- Place HOSxP XE workstations on a segmented clinical VLAN with strict egress controls to limit exposure of encrypted traffic.
- Enforce transport-layer encryption such as TLS for all HOSxP database connections so that captured traffic cannot be decrypted with the static IDEA key alone.
- Apply file system access control lists (ACLs) to prevent non-administrative users from reading HOS-WIN32.INI.
- Disable or remove legacy HOSxP installations that cannot be updated to a fixed version.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
