CVE-2014-6866 in Mobile
Summary
by MITRE
The HomeAdvisor Mobile (aka com.servicemagic.consumer) application 3.0.3 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 • 09/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6866 affects the HomeAdvisor Mobile application version 3.0.3 for Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack vector that undermines the fundamental security guarantees of encrypted communications. The flaw specifically impacts the mobile application's ability to authenticate server identities, leaving users vulnerable to sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise sensitive data transmission between the mobile client and remote servers.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the application's improper handling of SSL certificate validation mechanisms within the Android operating system. When an application establishes secure connections using SSL/TLS protocols, it should verify that the server's X.509 certificate is issued by a trusted Certificate Authority and that the certificate's validity period and domain name match the target server. The HomeAdvisor Mobile application fails to perform these critical verification steps, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This weakness aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and represents a direct violation of secure communication best practices. The vulnerability essentially disables the certificate pinning mechanism that should protect against certificate spoofing attacks, making it possible for attackers to intercept and modify communications without detection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to conduct sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise user privacy and sensitive information. Mobile applications that transmit personal data, financial information, or other confidential details over unverified SSL connections become particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Attackers can leverage this flaw to intercept user credentials, personal information, financial transactions, or other sensitive data that flows through the application's communication channels. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that mobile applications often handle highly sensitive personal and financial information, making the potential impact of such vulnerabilities severe for both individual users and the organization maintaining the application. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1041, which describes data manipulation through man-in-the-middle attacks, and represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture that violates industry standards for mobile application security.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms within the application. The recommended approach involves configuring the application to perform comprehensive certificate validation including checking certificate chain trust, verifying certificate expiration dates, and ensuring domain name matching. Developers should implement certificate pinning techniques that explicitly specify which certificates or certificate authorities are trusted, rather than relying on default system trust stores that may be compromised. Additionally, the application should enforce strict certificate validation policies and implement proper error handling for certificate validation failures. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their mobile applications to identify similar vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with industry standards such as OWASP Mobile Top 10 and NIST guidelines for secure mobile application development. Regular security updates and monitoring of certificate validation mechanisms should be implemented to maintain the security posture of the application over time.