CVE-2014-6020 in Fuel Rewards Network
Summary
by MITRE
The Fuel Rewards Network (aka com.excentus.frn) application 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 • 09/10/2024
The Fuel Rewards Network Android application presents a critical security vulnerability through its improper implementation of SSL certificate verification mechanisms. This flaw exists within the application's cryptographic security framework where it fails to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure communications. The vulnerability specifically affects version 1 of the com.excentus.frn application, indicating a fundamental design flaw in how the application handles secure network connections. This weakness creates an exploitable condition that directly violates established security protocols for maintaining confidential data integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's complete omission of certificate chain validation procedures that should be enforced during SSL/TLS handshakes. When the application establishes secure connections to backend servers, it does not perform the necessary checks to ensure that certificates are issued by trusted Certificate Authorities, have not expired, or have not been tampered with during transmission. This absence of certificate verification creates a pathway for malicious actors to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the confidentiality and integrity of all communications between the mobile application and its backend services. Attackers can exploit this weakness to impersonate legitimate servers and gain access to sensitive user information, transaction data, and potentially financial details processed through the Fuel Rewards Network. The vulnerability affects the entire communication stack of the application, making it susceptible to various attack vectors including credential theft, session hijacking, and data manipulation. This flaw represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and secure communication practices.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in secure communication protocols. The weakness creates opportunities for attackers to leverage techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1046 category of network service scanning and T1566 for credential harvesting through social engineering. The vulnerability essentially removes the application's ability to establish trust relationships with remote servers, making it vulnerable to various forms of network-based attacks. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including certificate pinning mechanisms, proper SSL/TLS configuration, and comprehensive security testing of mobile applications. The remediation process requires complete overhaul of the application's cryptographic libraries and implementation of proper certificate validation routines that align with industry standards such as those defined in NIST SP 800-52 and RFC 5280 for X.509 certificate validation.