CVE-2014-6884 in Credit Account Manager
Summary
by MITRE
The Ford Credit Account Manager (aka com.fordcredit.accountmanager) application 1.0.1 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 • 09/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6884 affects the Ford Credit Account Manager Android application version 1.0.1, representing a critical security flaw in the mobile banking and financial services ecosystem. This application, designed to manage Ford credit accounts, fails to implement proper certificate verification mechanisms when establishing secure connections to remote servers. The flaw creates a dangerous attack surface that exposes users to sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks where malicious actors can intercept and manipulate sensitive financial communications. The vulnerability specifically targets the SSL/TLS certificate validation process, which is fundamental to establishing trust between mobile applications and backend services.
This technical weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during the secure communication handshake process. The absence of certificate pinning or proper validation routines means that the application accepts any certificate presented by a server, regardless of its authenticity or trustworthiness. Attackers can exploit this by deploying malicious intermediate certificates or by simply creating fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications, and represents a classic example of insufficient transport layer security implementation. This flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041, which describes data from network shared drives, as attackers can leverage the compromised communication channel to intercept sensitive account information and financial data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to manipulate financial transactions and steal sensitive user information including account numbers, personal identification details, and credit information. Mobile banking applications like the Ford Credit Account Manager are particularly vulnerable due to their handling of highly sensitive financial data and their reliance on secure communication channels for authentication and transaction processing. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited by attackers with minimal technical expertise, as the attack does not require complex exploitation techniques but rather the ability to establish a man-in-the-middle position in network communications. Users conducting financial transactions through the vulnerable application face significant risk of financial fraud and identity theft, as the application cannot distinguish between legitimate Ford Credit servers and malicious impostors.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including certificate pinning mechanisms to prevent the acceptance of unauthorized certificates, proper SSL/TLS configuration to enforce certificate validation, and comprehensive security testing of mobile applications before deployment. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following security best practices such as those outlined in OWASP Mobile Top 10 and NIST guidelines for mobile application security. Remediation efforts must include code review processes to ensure proper certificate validation, implementation of secure communication protocols, and regular security assessments of mobile applications handling sensitive data. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of using vulnerable applications and the importance of keeping applications updated with security patches. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical need for robust mobile security frameworks that prioritize certificate validation and secure communication practices, as the consequences of failing to implement proper security controls can result in significant financial losses and regulatory compliance violations.