CVE-2014-6697 in Morocco Weather
Summary
by MITRE
The Morocco Weather (aka com.mobilesoft.meteomaroc) application 3.1 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-2014-6697 affects the Morocco Weather Android application version 3.1, specifically targeting the application's cryptographic security implementation. This flaw represents a critical weakness in the application's secure communication protocol that directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of data transmitted between the mobile client and remote servers. The application's failure to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates creates an exploitable condition that violates fundamental security principles of secure communications. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates a classic example of inadequate certificate validation practices that can have severe implications for user data protection and privacy.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's SSL/TLS certificate verification mechanism where the software fails to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers. This deficiency allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. The vulnerability stems from the application's trust model that does not implement proper certificate chain validation, issuer verification, or hostname checking mechanisms. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in cryptographic implementation where the application does not properly validate certificates, falling under CWE-310. The vulnerability specifically enables attackers to establish fraudulent secure connections that appear legitimate to the end-user, thereby bypassing the security assurances that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to encompass complete compromise of user trust and data integrity. Mobile applications that fail to verify SSL certificates expose users to various attack vectors including credential theft, session hijacking, and sensitive data manipulation. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept and modify communications between the Morocco Weather application and its backend services, potentially gaining access to user personal information, location data, or other sensitive details. The vulnerability particularly affects the application's ability to maintain secure communication channels, which is essential for weather data services that may contain location-based information or user preferences. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and defense evasion, as attackers can leverage the compromised communication channel to maintain persistent access to user data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms within the application. The recommended approach involves implementing certificate pinning to ensure that the application only accepts certificates from trusted authorities, combined with proper hostname verification and certificate chain validation. Security patches should enforce strict certificate validation procedures that include checking certificate expiration dates, verifying certificate authorities, and ensuring proper hostname matching. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous communication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to industry standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project, which emphasizes the critical need for proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other mobile applications and ensure comprehensive protection against man-in-the-middle attacks.