CVE-2014-6640 in Trade
Summary
by MITRE
The DNB Trade (aka lt.dnb.mobiletrade) 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 • 09/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6640 affects the DNB Trade mobile application for android platforms, specifically targeting the application's secure communication protocols. This weakness resides in the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a critical security gap that exposes users to sophisticated attack vectors. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-295 which specifically addresses issues related to improper certificate validation in secure communication implementations.
The technical flaw manifests when the application establishes secure connections to remote servers without performing proper certificate verification procedures. This omission allows attackers to exploit the trust relationship by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The absence of certificate pinning, hostname verification, and proper certificate chain validation creates an environment where malicious actors can intercept and manipulate communications between the mobile application and its intended servers. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting custom certificates that the application accepts without proper scrutiny.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, particularly for financial applications handling sensitive user data and transactional information. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can obtain confidential information including user credentials, account details, transaction records, and other sensitive financial data. The vulnerability undermines the fundamental security assurances that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide, effectively nullifying the encryption and authentication mechanisms that protect mobile banking communications. This weakness particularly affects the confidentiality and integrity of financial transactions, potentially enabling unauthorized access to user accounts and financial fraud operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust certificate validation mechanisms within the mobile application. The recommended approach includes implementing proper certificate pinning techniques where the application maintains a trusted list of certificate fingerprints or public keys that are expected from the server. Additionally, the application should enforce strict hostname verification to ensure that certificates are only accepted for the intended domain. The implementation should follow industry best practices and standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project recommendations for secure communication. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate transparency checks and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in their mobile applications. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which covers network service scanning, and T1566 which addresses credential harvesting through social engineering, as the compromised application can serve as a vector for broader attack campaigns targeting financial information.