CVE-2014-5810 in SGK Hizmet Dokumu 4a
Summary
by MITRE
The SGK Hizmet Dokumu 4a (aka tr.gov.sgk.hizmetDokumu4a) application 1.103 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.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5810 affects the SGK Hizmet Dokumu 4a Android application version 1.103, which is used by Turkish citizens to access government health service documents. This application serves as a critical interface for accessing sensitive personal health information and government records, making it a prime target for cyber adversaries seeking to exploit weaknesses in the communication channel. The flaw resides in the application's SSL/TLS implementation where it fails to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure communications.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from the application's improper handling of certificate validation during SSL handshakes. Specifically, the application does not perform certificate chain validation, does not check certificate expiration dates, and fails to verify the certificate's signature against trusted certificate authorities. This behavior creates a dangerous trust relationship where any certificate, even a maliciously crafted one, will be accepted as valid. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295 which defines weaknesses in certificate validation and certificate chain building, specifically addressing the failure to validate certificates properly during SSL/TLS connections.
This flaw enables man-in-the-middle attacks where attackers can position themselves between the Android application and legitimate servers to intercept and modify communications. An attacker could present a forged certificate signed by a rogue certificate authority or even a self-signed certificate, and the application would accept it without question. This creates a pathway for attackers to eavesdrop on sensitive health information exchanges, potentially gaining access to personal medical records, social security information, and other confidential data that the application handles. The impact is particularly severe given that this application provides access to government health services and personal health documentation.
The operational implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple data interception. Attackers could not only read sensitive information but also inject malicious content into the communication stream, potentially redirecting users to fraudulent websites or modifying health service information. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it affects a government application that handles highly sensitive personal data, creating potential for identity theft, fraud, and privacy violations. The vulnerability exists at the transport layer security level, making it difficult to detect through traditional application-level security measures and requiring deep understanding of the SSL/TLS implementation within the specific application.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating the application to a version that properly validates SSL certificates, implementing certificate pinning where appropriate, and conducting thorough security reviews of all mobile applications handling sensitive data. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which describes network service scanning and T1566 which covers credential harvesting through social engineering, as attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access to government health records. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network-based monitoring to detect unusual certificate validation patterns and ensure that all applications performing secure communications adhere to industry standards such as those defined in NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and TLS implementation.