CVE-2014-6860 in Trial Tracker
Summary
by MITRE
The Trial Tracker (aka com.etcweb.android.trial_tracker) application 1.1.9 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-2014-6860 affects the Trial Tracker Android application version 1.1.9, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's SSL certificate validation mechanism. This weakness fundamentally undermines the cryptographic security assurances that users expect when communicating with remote servers over secure connections. The application's failure to properly verify X.509 certificates creates a pathway for sophisticated attackers to execute man-in-the-middle attacks without detection, compromising the integrity and confidentiality of all data transmitted between the mobile device and backend services.
This vulnerability represents a classic implementation flaw in SSL/TLS security protocols, where the application bypasses the essential certificate chain validation process that should occur during secure socket establishment. The absence of proper certificate verification means that the application accepts any certificate presented by a server, regardless of its authenticity or trustworthiness. Attackers can exploit this weakness by presenting a maliciously crafted certificate that appears legitimate to the user interface while actually being controlled by the attacker. This flaw directly violates the fundamental principles of secure communication and undermines the trust model that SSL/TLS is designed to establish.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to gain access to sensitive user information, session tokens, and potentially personal data that the application processes. Mobile applications that rely on secure communication channels for authentication, data synchronization, or transaction processing become particularly vulnerable when they fail to validate server certificates. The implications are severe because users may unknowingly transmit confidential information to compromised servers, believing they are communicating securely with legitimate services. This vulnerability affects the application's ability to maintain data integrity and confidentiality, creating opportunities for credential theft, financial fraud, and privacy violations.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols. The flaw also maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1041, where adversaries use man-in-the-middle attacks to intercept communications, and T1566, which covers social engineering attacks that can leverage weakened security controls. Organizations and developers should implement robust certificate pinning mechanisms, utilize proper SSL/TLS validation libraries, and ensure that all network communications validate certificate chains against trusted certificate authorities. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar validation flaws in mobile applications, particularly those handling sensitive user data or conducting financial transactions. The remediation process must include thorough code review of all SSL/TLS implementation components and the deployment of automated tools to detect such vulnerabilities in future application releases.