CVE-2014-6764 in Assyrian
Summary
by MITRE
The Assyrian (aka com.b2.assyrian.activity) application 2.2 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-2014-6764 affects the Assyrian application version 2.2 for Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant pathway for malicious actors to compromise the security of data transmission between the mobile application and remote servers.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's certificate verification process where it fails to perform proper validation of SSL certificates presented by servers. This weakness allows attackers to execute man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. The vulnerability directly relates to CWE-295 which addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications, specifically targeting the absence of proper certificate chain validation and trust verification mechanisms within the Android application's networking stack.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables attackers to intercept and potentially modify sensitive data transmitted between the Assyrian application and its backend services. Mobile applications that rely on secure communication channels for user authentication, data synchronization, or transaction processing become particularly vulnerable to data theft, session hijacking, and unauthorized access to confidential information. The flaw essentially undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by SSL/TLS encryption, rendering the application's secure communication layer ineffective against determined adversaries.
From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which involves network service scanning and T1566 which covers credential access through social engineering or network manipulation. The attack surface is particularly concerning for mobile applications that handle sensitive user data, as the vulnerability can be exploited without requiring physical access to the device or advanced technical skills from the attacker. Security professionals should note that this represents a classic example of insufficient certificate validation that can be remediated through proper implementation of certificate pinning and robust SSL/TLS validation procedures.
The recommended mitigations include implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms that verify certificate chains against trusted Certificate Authorities, implementing certificate pinning to prevent the use of fraudulent certificates, and ensuring that the application performs thorough validation of SSL certificates before establishing secure connections. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as network monitoring to detect anomalous certificate usage patterns and regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other mobile applications. The fix should align with industry best practices for secure mobile application development and adhere to standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project for proper SSL/TLS implementation.