CVE-2014-6684 in bringaPONT
Summary
by MITRE
The MOL bringaPONT (aka hu.mol.bringapont) application 1.1 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 identified as CVE-2014-6684 affects the MOL bringaPONT Android application version 1.1, representing a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack vector for malicious actors. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process that should ensure the authenticity and integrity of server identities in encrypted communications. When an application fails to verify SSL certificates properly, it essentially removes the cryptographic protection that users expect when connecting to secure services.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's implementation of SSL/TLS certificate validation, where it does not perform the necessary checks to confirm that certificates are issued by trusted Certificate Authorities and that they properly match the server being connected to. This weakness allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper certificate validation as classified by CWE-295, which specifically addresses weaknesses in certificate validation mechanisms. This type of flaw enables attackers to establish connections with malicious servers while the application believes it is communicating securely with legitimate endpoints.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates severe implications for user data protection and privacy. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive information transmitted between the mobile application and backend servers. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential identity theft, financial fraud, and corporate espionage, particularly if the application handles banking information, personal identification data, or confidential business communications. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in mobile environments where users may connect to public networks, increasing the attack surface for man-in-the-middle scenarios.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1041 technique for Exfiltration Over C2 Channel, where attackers can leverage compromised applications to establish unauthorized data transmission channels. Organizations using this application face significant risk exposure, as the vulnerability effectively disables the security assurances that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide. The lack of certificate verification creates a trust boundary that can be easily compromised, allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate services and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications and the severe consequences that can arise from inadequate security controls.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate code updates to implement proper SSL certificate validation, including certificate pinning mechanisms, and ensuring that all certificate verification processes follow established security standards. Organizations should implement certificate validation that checks certificate chains against trusted CAs, validates certificate expiration dates, and confirms proper hostname matching. Additionally, security audits should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other mobile applications and ensure that all cryptographic implementations meet industry standards such as those defined in NIST SP 800-57 and ISO/IEC 15408. The application should also implement robust logging and monitoring to detect potential certificate validation failures and unauthorized access attempts.