CVE-2014-6011 in cutprice
Summary
by MITRE
The cutprice (aka kr.co.wedoit.cutprice) application 1.0.4 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 vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6011 affects the cutprice application version 1.0.4 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This vulnerability 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 flaw fundamentally undermines the security model designed to protect sensitive information transmitted between mobile applications and remote servers.
This technical weakness manifests as a failure in certificate validation mechanisms, specifically the absence of proper certificate chain verification and trust anchor validation. The application accepts any certificate presented by a server without performing the necessary cryptographic checks that would normally verify the certificate's authenticity and ensure it was issued by a trusted certificate authority. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041 by enabling man-in-the-middle attacks through the exploitation of weak SSL/TLS implementations. The absence of certificate pinning and proper certificate verification creates an environment where attackers can successfully impersonate legitimate servers and intercept or manipulate communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, encompassing the potential for complete session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized access to sensitive user information. Mobile applications that rely on secure communication channels for user authentication, financial transactions, or personal data handling become particularly vulnerable when they fail to implement proper certificate validation. Attackers can exploit this weakness by intercepting network traffic and presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application, thereby gaining unauthorized access to user accounts, personal data, or financial information. The attack vector is particularly dangerous in public network environments where man-in-the-middle attacks are more feasible.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-6011 require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's network communication layer. Developers must ensure that all SSL/TLS connections perform comprehensive certificate chain validation, verify certificate signatures against trusted root authorities, and implement certificate pinning where appropriate to prevent the acceptance of forged certificates. The solution involves updating the application to properly implement certificate verification routines that align with industry standards such as those specified in RFC 5280 for X.509 certificate validation and RFC 5246 for TLS protocol compliance. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous certificate behavior and establish regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities in other applications within their mobile portfolio. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing of the certificate validation logic to ensure that all possible attack vectors are properly addressed and that the application maintains secure communication channels under all operational conditions.