CVE-2014-5685 in Heart Rate
Summary
by MITRE
The Runtastic Heart Rate (aka com.runtastic.android.heartrate.lite) application 1.3 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 • 08/28/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5685 affects the Runtastic Heart Rate Android application version 1.3, representing a critical security flaw in the mobile application's cryptographic implementation. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that enables malicious actors to execute man-in-the-middle attacks against unsuspecting users. The vulnerability directly impacts the application's ability to establish secure communications with backend servers, potentially compromising user data and sensitive health information.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's SSL certificate validation mechanism where it fails to perform proper certificate chain validation and trust verification. 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 the server infrastructure. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process, which is fundamental to establishing trust in secure communications and maintaining data integrity. According to CWE standards, this represents a weakness in certificate validation (CWE-295) and improper certificate validation (CWE-297), both of which are classified as critical security flaws in cryptographic implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial, particularly given that the application deals with sensitive health data from heart rate monitoring. Attackers can exploit this flaw to obtain confidential user information, including personal health metrics, user credentials, and potentially other sensitive data transmitted through the insecure connection. The vulnerability enables passive eavesdropping on communications, allowing threat actors to capture and analyze data streams without detection. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 (Phishing for Information) and T1041 (Exfiltration Over C2 Channel), as it provides a mechanism for unauthorized data access and potential exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms within the application. Developers must ensure that all X.509 certificates are validated against trusted certificate authorities, implement certificate pinning where appropriate, and enforce strict certificate chain validation procedures. The application should reject connections when certificate validation fails and provide appropriate error handling to alert users of potential security issues. Security patches should include comprehensive certificate verification routines that comply with industry standards such as those specified in RFC 5280 for X.509 certificate validation and RFC 5246 for TLS protocol implementation. Additionally, regular security audits should be conducted to verify that cryptographic implementations maintain proper security posture against evolving threats and attack vectors.