CVE-2014-6774 in USEK
Summary
by MITRE
The USEK (aka com.university.usek) application 1.0.8 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 • 09/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6774 affects the USEK application version 1.0.8 for Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data integrity and confidentiality. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process that should normally occur when establishing secure connections between mobile applications and remote servers, fundamentally undermining the cryptographic security measures designed to protect sensitive information transmission.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's absence of proper certificate validation mechanisms, which is a fundamental requirement for maintaining trust in secure communications. According to CWE-295, this represents a weakness in certificate validation that allows for man-in-the-middle attacks by failing to properly verify the authenticity of SSL certificates presented by servers. The vulnerability creates an environment where attackers can craft malicious certificates that appear legitimate to the application, enabling them to intercept and manipulate data flowing between the mobile application and backend services. This flaw directly violates the principles of secure communication protocols and represents a failure in the application's security architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it allows attackers to completely compromise the trust relationship between the mobile application and its servers. An attacker positioned in the network path between the application and its destination can present a forged certificate that the application accepts without proper validation, enabling them to decrypt and modify sensitive information transmitted by users. This capability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041, which describes how adversaries can use certificate manipulation to establish persistent access and maintain control over communication channels. The vulnerability particularly affects applications that handle sensitive user data, authentication credentials, or financial information, making it a high-value target for cybercriminals seeking to exploit user trust in mobile applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's network communication layer. Organizations should implement certificate pinning techniques to ensure that the application only accepts certificates from trusted authorities, while also enforcing strict certificate chain validation procedures that comply with industry standards such as those defined in RFC 5280 for X.509 certificate validation. The solution involves updating the application code to properly verify certificate signatures, expiration dates, and issuer information, ensuring that all SSL connections undergo rigorous validation before establishing trust. Additionally, implementing proper error handling and logging mechanisms will help detect and respond to certificate validation failures, while regular security audits should verify that the certificate verification process remains robust against evolving attack vectors and emerging threats in the mobile security landscape.