CVE-2014-6689 in JW Cards
Summary
by MITRE
The JW Cards (aka com.jingwei.card) application 3.8.0 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 • 09/13/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6689 affects the JW Cards Android application version 3.8.0, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanism. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly verify X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure communications. The flaw creates a significant attack surface that enables malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting crafted certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. According to CWE-295, this represents a specific weakness in certificate validation where the application fails to properly validate the authenticity and trustworthiness of SSL certificates, directly violating fundamental security principles of secure communication protocols.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the application layer where SSL/TLS connections are established between the Android client and remote servers. The application's certificate verification process is bypassed or inadequately implemented, allowing any certificate to be accepted regardless of its validity, trust chain, or proper signing authority. This flaw specifically impacts the certificate pinning and validation mechanisms that should ensure the identity of the server being connected to matches the expected certificate authority. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1573.002 which describes the use of unverified SSL certificates to establish fraudulent connections. Attackers can exploit this by creating malicious certificates that mimic legitimate server identities, enabling them to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive data transmitted between the application and servers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to encompass comprehensive security compromise of user data and application integrity. Sensitive information such as user credentials, personal data, financial information, and private communications can be exposed to unauthorized parties. The vulnerability affects all users of the specific application version and creates persistent security risks since the flaw exists in the application's core network security implementation rather than being dependent on external factors. This weakness undermines the fundamental security model of secure communications, making the application susceptible to various attack vectors including credential theft, data manipulation, and privacy violations. The vulnerability's persistence in the application's codebase means that any data transmitted through the affected application remains at risk until the underlying certificate validation mechanism is properly implemented.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper SSL certificate validation within the application's network security framework. The application must be updated to perform comprehensive certificate verification including chain of trust validation, certificate expiration checks, and proper hostname verification against the certificate's subject. Security patches should implement certificate pinning mechanisms where the application maintains a trusted list of certificate fingerprints or public keys that are expected to be presented by legitimate servers. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level monitoring to detect anomalous certificate behavior and establish proper security auditing procedures for mobile applications. The remediation process must ensure compliance with industry standards such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and TLS implementation. Additionally, developers should adopt secure coding practices that align with OWASP Mobile Top 10 recommendations for secure mobile application development, particularly focusing on secure communication protocols and proper certificate handling mechanisms.