CVE-2014-5899 in Nespresso
Summary
by MITRE
The Nespresso (aka com.nespresso.activities) application 2.4.1 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 • 09/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5899 affects the Nespresso mobile application version 2.4.1 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the 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 adversaries can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process within the application's secure communication framework, undermining the fundamental security assurances that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide.
The technical flaw manifests as a missing certificate validation mechanism that should normally verify the authenticity and trustworthiness of SSL servers before establishing secure connections. When an application fails to verify X.509 certificates, it essentially trusts any certificate presented by a server regardless of its legitimacy or whether it was issued by a trusted Certificate Authority. This weakness enables man-in-the-middle attackers to intercept communications between the mobile application and its backend servers by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The flaw operates at the transport layer security implementation level, making it particularly dangerous as it affects all data transmission within the application's secure channels.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to encompass comprehensive user data compromise and potential financial fraud. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could gain access to sensitive user information including personal details, payment credentials, and authentication tokens that users entrust to the Nespresso application. The vulnerability's presence in a mobile application that likely handles financial transactions and personal user data creates a substantial risk profile that could result in identity theft, financial loss, and reputational damage to both users and the application developer. This flaw essentially neutralizes the cryptographic protections that users expect when communicating with secure services, making all application data potentially accessible to malicious actors.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and represents a classic example of inadequate SSL/TLS implementation that falls under the ATT&CK technique T1041 for data compression and encryption. The mitigation strategy requires implementing proper certificate pinning mechanisms and ensuring that all SSL/TLS connections perform rigorous validation of certificate chains against trusted root authorities. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate transparency measures and regularly audit their cryptographic implementations to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future releases. The remediation process involves updating the application to properly validate certificate chains and implement secure cryptographic practices that align with industry standards such as those recommended by NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and RFC 5280 for X.509 certificate validation.