CVE-2014-6873 in AMGC
Summary
by MITRE
The AMGC (aka com.amec.uae) application 6.0 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-2014-6873 affects the AMGC application version 6.0 for Android operating systems, specifically targeting the application's handling of secure communication protocols. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in the application's implementation of SSL/TLS certificate verification mechanisms. The vulnerability enables malicious actors to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that the application accepts without proper validation, thereby compromising the integrity of communications between the mobile device and remote servers. The issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates, which are fundamental components of secure internet communications and cryptographic protocols.
This technical flaw falls under the category of improper certificate validation, which aligns with CWE-295, specifically the weakness of not properly validating certificates. The vulnerability creates a dangerous scenario where the application accepts any certificate presented by a server without performing the required verification steps that should confirm the certificate's authenticity, validity, and trustworthiness. The absence of proper certificate pinning or validation mechanisms leaves users exposed to various attack vectors including certificate forgery, impersonation attacks, and data interception. From an operational perspective, this weakness undermines the fundamental security assurances that users expect when engaging in secure communications through mobile applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it allows attackers to establish fraudulent connections with the application and potentially access sensitive user data, authentication credentials, or private communications. Mobile applications that rely on secure communication channels for user authentication, financial transactions, or data transmission become particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Attackers can leverage this weakness to redirect traffic through malicious servers, capture and modify data in transit, or even establish persistent backdoors for further exploitation. The vulnerability affects not only the immediate data being transmitted but also potentially compromises user trust in the application and the organization responsible for its development.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application. Security measures should include implementing certificate pinning, which involves hardcoding expected certificate fingerprints or public keys to verify against received certificates. Additionally, the application should enforce strict certificate chain validation, verify certificate expiration dates, and ensure proper hostname verification. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate transparency monitoring and regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and defense evasion, as attackers can leverage the weakened security posture to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information while potentially avoiding detection through the use of forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application.