CVE-2014-6665 in Ahmed Bukhatir Nasheeds TV
Summary
by MITRE
The Ahmed Bukhatir Nasheeds TV (aka com.wAhmedBukhatirApp) application 1.0 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 • 09/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6665 affects the Ahmed Bukhatir Nasheeds TV Android application version 1.0, presenting 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 exposure to man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise the integrity of data transmission between the mobile client and remote servers. The vulnerability represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security architecture, as it fails to implement proper certificate pinning or validation mechanisms that are essential for maintaining secure communications.
The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of certificate verification within the application's SSL implementation, allowing attackers to intercept and manipulate encrypted communications without detection. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1573.002 for "Encrypted Channel: Asymmetric Cryptography." The application's failure to validate certificate chains, check certificate expiration dates, or verify certificate signatures creates an attack surface where malicious actors can present fraudulent certificates to establish fake secure connections. This weakness enables attackers to impersonate legitimate servers and potentially intercept or modify sensitive data transmitted through the application, including user credentials, personal information, or other confidential communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the trust model that secure mobile applications must maintain with their users. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform session hijacking, steal user authentication tokens, or gain unauthorized access to backend services that the application interacts with. The vulnerability affects all users of the application who establish SSL connections with servers, making it particularly dangerous given the widespread use of mobile applications for accessing sensitive content and services. Mobile security frameworks such as the OWASP Mobile Top 10 categorize this type of vulnerability under M3 - Insecure Communication, as it represents a failure to implement proper cryptographic security measures. The risk is compounded by the fact that many mobile applications rely on SSL/TLS for protecting user privacy and data integrity, and this flaw effectively renders those protections meaningless.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-6665 must include immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's SSL/TLS stack. Developers should implement certificate pinning techniques to ensure that the application only accepts specific certificates or certificate authorities, preventing attackers from using fraudulent certificates to establish secure connections. The application should validate certificate chains, check certificate expiration dates, and verify certificate signatures against trusted root certificates. Additionally, implementing certificate transparency checks and maintaining up-to-date certificate stores can help prevent exploitation attempts. Security practitioners should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual certificate behavior and establish proper security testing procedures that include SSL/TLS certificate validation checks during application security assessments. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to mobile security standards such as those outlined in the Android Security Best Practices documentation, which emphasize the necessity of proper cryptographic implementation to protect user data and maintain application integrity.