CVE-2014-6840 in My Wedding Planner
Summary
by MITRE
The My Wedding Planner (aka app.wedding) application 1.5 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 • 09/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6840 affects the My Wedding Planner Android application version 1.5, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack vector for malicious actors who wish to intercept or manipulate data transmitted between the mobile application and remote servers. The vulnerability represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security architecture, specifically in its implementation of certificate validation mechanisms that are essential for maintaining secure communications.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's inability to perform proper certificate verification during SSL handshakes, which violates established security protocols designed to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. This weakness allows attackers to present forged SSL certificates that the application will accept without proper validation, effectively enabling them to impersonate legitimate servers. The vulnerability directly corresponds to CWE-295, which addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1573.002 related to "Encrypted Channel: TLS/SSL Protocol," as it undermines the integrity of secure communication channels. The application's failure to implement certificate pinning or proper certificate chain validation creates an environment where attackers can establish fraudulent secure connections.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to obtain sensitive information transmitted through the application's secure channels. Given that the application is designed for wedding planning, users may transmit personal information, financial details, and private communications that could be compromised. The vulnerability affects all users who interact with the application's network services, potentially exposing their personal data to unauthorized parties. Attackers can exploit this weakness to capture login credentials, personal messages, payment information, and other sensitive data that flows through the application's communication channels, creating a significant risk for user privacy and data security.
Organizations and users should implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. Immediate remediation efforts should focus on updating the application to a version that properly implements certificate validation and X.509 verification. Security measures should include implementing certificate pinning to prevent the acceptance of unauthorized certificates, establishing proper certificate chain validation procedures, and conducting regular security audits of mobile applications. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious certificate behavior and unusual traffic patterns that may indicate active exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following security best practices outlined in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and the OWASP Mobile Security Project recommendations for secure mobile application development. Users should avoid using the vulnerable application until proper updates are implemented and security patches are deployed to ensure continued protection against man-in-the-middle attacks and unauthorized data access.