CVE-2014-6807 in OLA School
Summary
by MITRE
The OLA School (aka com.conduit.app_00f9890a4f0145f2aae9d714e20b273a.app) application 1.2.7.132 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 • 09/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6807 affects the OLA School Android application version 1.2.7.132, representing a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. This issue manifests as a failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant pathway for malicious actors to compromise the application's security posture. The vulnerability directly impacts the application's ability to establish trust with remote servers, fundamentally undermining the security model that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide.
The technical flaw stems from the application's implementation of certificate verification within its SSL communication stack. When the OLA School application establishes connections to remote servers, it fails to perform proper certificate validation checks that should confirm the authenticity and integrity of the server's identity. This omission allows attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application, enabling them to intercept and manipulate communications between the mobile device and backend services. The vulnerability specifically relates to the absence of certificate chain validation, hostname verification, and trust anchor validation mechanisms that are essential components of secure SSL/TLS implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, particularly given the nature of educational applications that may handle sensitive student and parent data. Attackers capable of performing man-in-the-middle attacks can exploit this weakness to eavesdrop on communications, capture login credentials, access personal information, and potentially modify data transmitted between the application and its servers. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects the core security infrastructure of the application, potentially allowing unauthorized access to educational records, personal identification information, and other sensitive data that users might expect to be protected through secure communication channels.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a classic example of weak cryptography implementation that leaves applications susceptible to cryptographic attacks. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers "Phishing with Social Engineering," as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to create convincing fake server presentations that deceive users into believing they are communicating with legitimate services. Organizations should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper certificate validation in mobile applications, particularly those handling sensitive personal or educational data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's SSL/TLS stack. Developers should implement certificate pinning to ensure that the application only accepts certificates from trusted authorities and specific server identities. Additionally, the application must perform comprehensive certificate chain validation, hostname verification, and trust anchor checking to establish secure communications. Regular security audits and code reviews should be implemented to identify similar weaknesses in other cryptographic implementations. The application should also be updated to use current SSL/TLS protocol versions and cipher suites that meet modern security standards, ensuring that the vulnerability cannot be exploited through outdated cryptographic protocols or weak encryption methods.