CVE-2014-6666 in Baglamukhi
Summary
by MITRE
The Baglamukhi (aka com.wshribaglamukhiblog) application 0.1 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 • 09/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6666 affects the Baglamukhi Android application version 0.1, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This vulnerability falls under the category of weak cryptographic practices and certificate validation failures, specifically targeting the application's inability to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates during network communications. The flaw creates a significant attack surface that exposes users to potential man-in-the-middle attacks, where malicious actors can intercept and manipulate data transmission between the application and remote servers. The application's failure to implement proper certificate verification mechanisms renders the entire secure communication channel vulnerable to exploitation, fundamentally undermining the security assurances that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's complete omission of X.509 certificate validation during SSL/TLS handshakes. When the Baglamukhi application establishes secure connections to remote servers, it bypasses the essential certificate verification process that should confirm the server's identity against trusted certificate authorities. This absence of certificate validation means that any attacker capable of presenting a fraudulent certificate can successfully impersonate legitimate servers within the application's network communication framework. The flaw essentially creates a trust model where the application accepts any certificate presented by a server, regardless of its authenticity or trustworthiness, making it trivial for attackers to establish fake server identities and intercept sensitive user data or commands. This vulnerability directly corresponds to CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally compromises the confidentiality and integrity of all network communications within the application. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform various malicious activities including credential theft, session hijacking, data manipulation, and information disclosure. The vulnerability affects any sensitive information transmitted through the application, including but not limited to user credentials, personal data, and potentially financial information if the application handles such data. Users who engage with the application while connected to untrusted networks or public Wi-Fi hotspots face heightened risk, as these environments provide ideal conditions for man-in-the-middle attacks to occur. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it affects the core security architecture of the application, rendering all secure communication channels ineffective and leaving users exposed to sophisticated attacks that would normally be prevented by proper certificate validation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's network stack. The most effective approach involves implementing certificate pinning or at minimum enforcing strict certificate chain validation against trusted Certificate Authorities. Organizations should ensure that the application validates certificate signatures, checks certificate expiration dates, and verifies certificate subject names against expected server identities. Additionally, implementing certificate transparency measures and regular security audits can help identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in the future. The remediation efforts should align with industry best practices outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project and NIST guidelines for mobile application security, particularly focusing on secure communication implementation and certificate management. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of cryptographic security implementation in mobile applications and serves as a reminder that even basic security features like certificate validation cannot be overlooked in the development process. The attack surface created by this flaw makes it particularly attractive to threat actors who may exploit the vulnerability for data exfiltration, credential harvesting, or other malicious activities targeting the application's user base and the sensitive information they handle.