CVE-2014-6750 in $0.99 Kindle Books
Summary
by MITRE
The $0.99 Kindle Books (aka com.kindle.books.for99) application 6.0 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 • 09/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6750 affects the Kindle Books application version 6.0 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the application's SSL certificate validation mechanism. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly verify X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure communications, creating a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The vulnerability specifically impacts the application's ability to establish secure connections with backend servers, leaving users exposed to various forms of cyber attacks that target the confidentiality and authenticity of network communications.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's cryptographic implementation where it bypasses standard certificate verification procedures that should validate the authenticity of SSL servers. This deficiency allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The certificate validation process typically involves checking certificate signatures against trusted Certificate Authorities and verifying certificate expiration dates, but the Kindle Books application fails to perform these essential validation steps. This weakness falls under the category of improper certificate validation as defined by CWE-295, which specifically addresses the failure to validate SSL/TLS certificates during secure communication establishment. The vulnerability represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security architecture that undermines the entire SSL/TLS security model.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to encompass comprehensive system compromise and user data theft. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept and modify communications between the Android device and legitimate servers, potentially gaining access to user credentials, personal information, and other sensitive data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects an application that users trust for purchasing and accessing digital content, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to exploit user confidence. This type of attack aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1041 technique for Exfiltration Over Command and Control Channel, where attackers establish unauthorized communication channels to extract sensitive information. The vulnerability also enables attackers to perform session hijacking and authentication bypass attacks, potentially allowing them to impersonate legitimate users and access premium content or personal accounts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from both application developers and end-users. Application developers should implement proper certificate validation mechanisms that verify certificate chains against trusted certificate authorities and ensure certificate expiration dates are properly checked. The fix should incorporate standard SSL/TLS security practices including certificate pinning where appropriate and robust certificate verification routines that align with industry standards such as those defined by NIST SP 800-57 and RFC 5280. End-users should be advised to avoid using the vulnerable application until patches are available and to ensure their devices have up-to-date security measures including proper certificate store management. Organizations should consider implementing network monitoring to detect suspicious certificate validation behavior and establish incident response procedures for potential exploitation of this vulnerability. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security audits and penetration testing to identify similar certificate validation weaknesses in other applications and systems.