CVE-2014-6782 in Abraham Tours
Summary
by MITRE
The Abraham Tours (aka com.mytoursapp.android.app432) application 1.1.2 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 • 09/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6782 affects the Abraham Tours Android application version 1.1.2, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's secure communication implementation. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that enables malicious actors to execute man-in-the-middle attacks against users of the application. The vulnerability specifically impacts the certificate verification process, which is fundamental to establishing trust in secure communications between mobile applications and backend servers.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's improper handling of SSL certificate validation mechanisms, where the software accepts any certificate presented by a server without performing the necessary cryptographic verification steps. This weakness allows attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application, enabling them to intercept and potentially modify communication traffic between the mobile device and the application's servers. The vulnerability directly relates to CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications, and represents a failure in implementing proper SSL/TLS certificate pinning or validation procedures. The absence of certificate verification means that the application cannot distinguish between legitimate servers and malicious actors who have compromised the certificate authority infrastructure or have generated fraudulent certificates.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to obtain sensitive user information through various attack vectors. Mobile applications that rely on secure communication channels for user authentication, personal data transmission, and transaction processing become vulnerable to credential theft, session hijacking, and data manipulation attacks. Attackers can exploit this weakness to capture user credentials, personal information, financial data, or any other sensitive content transmitted through the application's network connections. The vulnerability particularly affects applications that handle user authentication, personal data, or financial transactions, making it a significant concern for applications in the travel and tourism sector where users often provide sensitive information such as payment details and personal identification.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve implementing proper certificate verification mechanisms within the application's SSL/TLS communication stack. Security experts recommend implementing certificate pinning techniques that validate server certificates against known good certificates or public keys, thereby preventing the acceptance of fraudulent certificates. The application should enforce strict certificate validation procedures that include checking certificate expiration dates, verifying certificate authorities, and ensuring proper certificate chain validation. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate transparency monitoring and regular security audits to identify potential certificate-related vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which covers network service scanning, and T1566 which addresses credential harvesting through social engineering, as attackers can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to user information and potentially escalate their attacks through compromised user credentials. The remediation approach should include updating the application to properly validate SSL certificates and implementing robust certificate management practices that align with industry standards for mobile application security.