CVE-2014-5586 in BIATNET
Summary
by MITRE
The BIATNET (aka com.biatnet.mobile) application 1.1 for Android does not verify X.509 certificates from SSL servers, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof servers and obtain sensitive information via a crafted certificate.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/25/2024
The CVE-2014-5586 vulnerability affects the BIATNET mobile application version 1.1 for Android devices, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanism. This vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly verify X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure communications, creating a significant attack surface that can be exploited by malicious actors. The flaw directly violates fundamental security principles of secure communication protocols and represents a clear deviation from industry best practices for mobile application security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the application's cryptographic library handling where SSL certificate validation is bypassed or improperly implemented. When the BIATNET application establishes secure connections to remote servers, it fails to perform the essential certificate chain validation steps that should confirm the server's identity through trusted certificate authorities. This weakness allows attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application, enabling them to intercept and manipulate communications between the mobile device and target servers. The vulnerability specifically impacts the SSL/TLS handshake process where certificate verification should occur but does not, creating a trust relationship that can be easily compromised.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables comprehensive man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise sensitive user information and system integrity. Attackers can exploit this flaw to obtain confidential data such as user credentials, personal information, financial details, and other sensitive communications that the application is designed to protect. The vulnerability affects all users of the affected application version, making it a widespread security concern that can be exploited without requiring specialized tools or deep technical knowledge. This weakness directly enables credential theft, session hijacking, and data manipulation attacks that can have severe financial and privacy implications for affected users.
Organizations and users should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions of the BIATNET application, implementing network-level monitoring to detect suspicious certificate behavior, and considering temporary workarounds such as disabling the application until proper updates are deployed. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications, and represents a clear violation of ATT&CK technique T1566 related to credential harvesting through man-in-the-middle attacks. Security teams should also consider implementing certificate pinning mechanisms where possible, deploying network security solutions that can detect and block certificate manipulation attempts, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of all mobile applications to identify similar certificate validation weaknesses. The remediation process should include thorough code review of cryptographic implementations and adherence to established security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-57 for certificate management and validation practices.