CVE-2014-6001 in gewara
Summary
by MITRE
The gewara (aka com.gewara) application 5.2.3 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 • 09/09/2024
The CVE-2014-6001 vulnerability affects the gewara mobile application version 5.2.3 for android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's SSL/TLS certificate verification mechanism. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure communication sessions. The vulnerability creates a significant attack surface that enables malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the application. The absence of proper certificate validation means that the application accepts any certificate presented by a server without verifying its authenticity through trusted certificate authorities or checking the certificate's validity period and subject information.
The technical implementation of this flaw demonstrates a fundamental failure in the application's cryptographic security architecture, where SSL/TLS certificate validation is completely bypassed. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation" in security protocols. The application's insecure communication handling allows attackers to establish fraudulent secure connections with the victim's device, potentially intercepting and modifying sensitive data transmitted between the mobile application and backend servers. This weakness particularly affects applications that handle personal information, financial transactions, or other sensitive user data, as the compromised communication channel provides attackers with direct access to user credentials, personal details, and transaction information.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-6001 extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the trust model that secure mobile applications rely upon for protecting user privacy and data integrity. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to impersonate legitimate servers, redirect users to malicious sites, or extract confidential information without detection. The attack vector is particularly concerning in mobile environments where users may be accessing applications over unsecured public networks, making the vulnerability exploitable in various network conditions. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041, which describes "Exfiltration Over C2 Channel" and demonstrates how compromised communication channels can facilitate data theft. The vulnerability affects not only the immediate user data but also potentially exposes the application to further attacks through credential theft, session hijacking, and privilege escalation opportunities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-6001 require immediate implementation of proper SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanisms within the application's networking layer. The fix should enforce certificate chain validation against trusted certificate authorities, implement certificate pinning where appropriate, and ensure that all SSL/TLS connections perform thorough verification of certificate validity periods, subject names, and cryptographic signatures. Organizations should implement certificate pinning techniques to prevent the acceptance of fraudulent certificates even if they are cryptographically valid. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing of secure communication channels to verify that proper certificate validation occurs and that the application properly handles certificate validation failures. Additionally, the application should implement proper error handling for SSL/TLS connection failures and provide appropriate user feedback when security issues are detected. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to industry standards such as those specified in the OWASP Mobile Security Project and NIST guidelines for mobile application security.