CVE-2014-5912 in InNote
Summary
by MITRE
The InNote (aka com.intsig.notes) application 1.0.3.20131119 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 • 09/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5912 affects the InNote Android application version 1.0.3.20131119, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communications. This weakness resides in the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating an exploitable condition that undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by cryptographic protocols. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper certificate validation, which is classified as CWE-295 within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, specifically addressing issues related to validation of certificates.
The technical flaw manifests when the application establishes connections to remote servers using SSL/TLS encryption. Instead of performing proper certificate chain validation, the application accepts any certificate presented by a server without verifying its authenticity through trusted certificate authorities. This omission creates a man-in-the-middle attack vector where malicious actors can intercept communications by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The flaw essentially disables the certificate pinning mechanism that should protect against certificate impersonation attacks, allowing attackers to establish fake secure connections while the application remains oblivious to the deception.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability exposes users to significant risks including data interception, credential theft, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Attackers can exploit this weakness to capture user data transmitted through the application, potentially including personal information, notes, and other confidential content stored within the InNote application. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential account compromise and privacy violations, as the application's security model fails to provide the expected protection for user communications. This vulnerability directly aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1041 technique for data encryption for exfiltration, where attackers can leverage weakened security to access protected data.
The implications of this vulnerability are particularly severe given that it affects a note-taking application, which typically handles sensitive personal and potentially business-related information. Users may unknowingly transmit their private notes, personal communications, or confidential data through insecure channels, believing they are maintaining encrypted connections. The vulnerability represents a complete breakdown in the application's security model and demonstrates a fundamental lack of security awareness in the development process. Organizations relying on this application for sensitive data handling would be exposed to potential regulatory violations and compliance issues, particularly in environments governed by data protection regulations such as gdpr or hipaa.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application, ensuring that all SSL/TLS connections verify certificate chains against trusted certificate authorities. Developers must implement certificate pinning where appropriate, and the application should reject any certificate that fails to meet established security criteria. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other cryptographic implementations. The fix should align with industry best practices outlined in owasp mobile security project guidelines and should incorporate proper error handling for certificate validation failures. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures for addressing certificate validation failures.