CVE-2014-5963 in Halieutics
Summary
by MITRE
The Halieutics (aka com.corn.Halieutics) application 21.40.5 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 • 09/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5963 affects the Halieutics mobile application version 21.40.5 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the application's cryptographic implementation. This weakness resides in the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant pathway for malicious actors to compromise user data integrity and confidentiality. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification mechanism that should establish trust between the mobile client and remote servers, thereby undermining the fundamental security assurances provided by secure communication protocols.
The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of certificate validation within the application's SSL implementation, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that would be accepted as legitimate by the vulnerable application. This represents a classic example of a missing security control in the application's cryptographic stack, where the proper chain of trust verification is bypassed entirely. The flaw falls under the category of improper certificate validation, which is classified as CWE-295 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system, specifically addressing issues related to validation of certificates and trust anchors. The vulnerability creates a dangerous situation where the application becomes susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks, as described in the attack pattern taxonomy of the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique of credential access through network sniffing and certificate manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to establish false trust relationships with users while they believe they are communicating securely with legitimate services. Mobile applications that rely on secure communication channels for sensitive operations such as financial transactions, personal data exchange, or authentication processes become particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Attackers can leverage this weakness to impersonate legitimate services, capture user credentials, intercept sensitive communications, and potentially gain unauthorized access to backend systems that the application connects to. The vulnerability affects not only the immediate data flowing through the application but also compromises the overall security posture of users who trust the application to maintain secure communications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's SSL/TLS stack. The solution involves configuring the application to perform comprehensive certificate chain validation, including verification of certificate signatures, expiration dates, and proper trust anchoring through recognized certificate authorities. Security patches should enforce certificate pinning where appropriate, implement proper certificate revocation checking, and ensure that the application rejects any certificate that fails validation checks. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level monitoring to detect anomalous certificate behavior and establish secure communication protocols that adhere to industry standards such as those defined in the NIST SP 800-52 guidelines for secure socket layer implementation. Additionally, developers should follow secure coding practices that align with the OWASP Mobile Security Project recommendations for cryptographic implementation in mobile applications to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in future releases.