CVE-2014-6893 in Pushpins Grocery Coupons
Summary
by MITRE
The Pushpins Grocery Coupons (aka com.pushpinsapp.pushpins) application 1.56 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-2014-6893 affects the Pushpins Grocery Coupons Android application version 1.56, presenting 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 surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The vulnerability represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security architecture, as it fails to implement proper certificate pinning or validation mechanisms that are essential for maintaining secure communications between mobile applications and remote servers.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's inability to verify the authenticity of SSL certificates presented by servers during network communications. This weakness allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The absence of certificate verification means that the application accepts any certificate without proper validation, including those issued by untrusted Certificate Authorities or self-signed certificates that have been crafted specifically to deceive the application. This failure directly violates established security principles for mobile application development and network communication security. The vulnerability maps to CWE-295, which specifically addresses the improper certificate validation in network communications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041, which covers data encryption for exfiltration through compromised network connections.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to encompass potential complete system compromise and user data theft. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept sensitive user information including personal details, login credentials, and potentially financial data that users might enter into the application. The vulnerability affects all users of the affected application version, creating a widespread security risk that persists until the application is updated or the user removes the vulnerable application from their device. Mobile applications that handle sensitive user data are particularly vulnerable to this class of attack, as users often trust applications with personal information without considering the underlying security implementations. The impact is compounded by the fact that this vulnerability exists in a consumer-facing application that users may not regularly update, leaving them exposed to attacks for extended periods. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their mobile application security assessment frameworks and ensure proper certificate validation mechanisms are implemented in all network communications to prevent similar issues in future deployments.