CVE-2014-6682 in w88235ff7bdc2fb574f1789750ea99ed6
Summary
by MITRE
The w88235ff7bdc2fb574f1789750ea99ed6 (aka com.w88235ff7bdc2fb574f1789750ea99ed6) 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 • 09/13/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-6682 represents a critical security flaw in Android mobile applications that fail to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates during secure communications. This issue affects the com.w88235ff7bdc2fb574f1789750ea99ed6 application version 0.1, where the software implementation lacks proper certificate verification mechanisms. The flaw creates a significant attack surface that enables malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged SSL certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. This weakness directly violates fundamental security principles of secure communication and certificate-based authentication that are essential for protecting sensitive data transmission between mobile applications and remote servers.
The technical implementation error stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates against trusted certificate authorities, which is a core requirement for establishing secure SSL/TLS connections. This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-295, which describes "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a failure to implement proper certificate pinning or chain of trust validation. The application essentially accepts any certificate presented by a server without verifying its authenticity, trustworthiness, or proper signing by recognized certificate authorities. This allows attackers to generate or obtain certificates that can be accepted by the application, effectively bypassing the entire SSL/TLS security framework that is designed to protect against unauthorized access and data interception.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it enables attackers to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive information transmitted between the vulnerable Android application and its remote servers. Mobile applications that handle personal data, financial information, or corporate secrets become particularly vulnerable to this attack vector, as the man-in-the-middle capability allows for complete eavesdropping on communications. The attack can be executed through various means including network interception, DNS spoofing, or compromised network infrastructure, making it difficult for organizations to detect or prevent such attacks. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041, which covers "Exfiltration Over C2 Channel," and T1566, which covers "Phishing," as attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access and data theft capabilities.
Organizations and developers should implement comprehensive mitigations including proper certificate validation mechanisms, certificate pinning implementations, and regular security audits of mobile applications. The recommended approach involves configuring the application to verify certificate chains against trusted root certificates, implementing certificate pinning for critical communications, and ensuring that all SSL/TLS connections properly validate certificate signatures and expiration dates. Additionally, developers should consider implementing certificate transparency checks and monitoring for unusual certificate issuance patterns that might indicate attempted attacks. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to industry standards such as those defined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project, which emphasizes the need for proper cryptographic implementation and certificate management in mobile applications to prevent such security failures.