CVE-2014-6675 in Ruta Exacta
Summary
by MITRE
The Ruta Exacta (aka com.rutaexacta.m) 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-2014-6675 affects the Ruta Exacta mobile application version 1.0 for Android operating systems, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This weakness resides in the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant exposure that undermines the fundamental security guarantees of encrypted communications. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process, which is essential for establishing trust between mobile applications and remote servers in secure network environments.
The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of certificate validation mechanisms within the application's SSL implementation. When the Ruta Exacta application establishes connections to remote servers using SSL/TLS encryption, it fails to perform the necessary cryptographic verification of server certificates against trusted certificate authorities. This omission creates a dangerous scenario where the application accepts any certificate presented by a server, regardless of its authenticity or legitimacy. The vulnerability stems from improper implementation of the SSL/TLS protocol stack, where the application bypasses standard certificate chain validation procedures that should confirm certificate validity, expiration dates, and proper signing authority.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, providing attackers with extensive opportunities to compromise user data and system integrity. Man-in-the-middle attackers can exploit this weakness by presenting maliciously crafted certificates to the vulnerable application, effectively allowing them to impersonate legitimate servers without detection. This capability enables attackers to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive information transmitted between the mobile device and target servers, including personal data, login credentials, financial information, and other confidential communications. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in mobile environments where users may connect to public networks, making the attack surface even more extensive and the potential damage more significant.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a direct violation of secure coding practices established in industry standards and best practices. The flaw also correlates with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers "Phishing with Social Engineering," as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to create convincing fraudulent connections that appear legitimate to users. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates characteristics of T1041, "Exfiltration Over C2 Channel," and T1571, "Modify Authentication Token," as it enables unauthorized data access and potential authentication bypass scenarios. Organizations should implement comprehensive security measures including mandatory certificate pinning, regular security audits, and proper SSL/TLS implementation practices to prevent such vulnerabilities from compromising mobile application security and user data protection.
The remediation approach requires immediate implementation of proper certificate validation procedures within the application's SSL/TLS stack, ensuring that all certificates are verified against trusted certificate authorities and that certificate chains are properly validated. Application developers should implement certificate pinning mechanisms to prevent the acceptance of unauthorized certificates, while also ensuring that the application properly handles certificate expiration dates and revocation status checks. Security patches must be deployed immediately to address this vulnerability, and organizations should conduct thorough security testing to verify that certificate validation mechanisms function correctly in all network environments and connection scenarios.