CVE-2014-6894 in Lucktastic
Summary
by MITRE
The Lucktastic (aka com.lucktastic.scratch) application 1.2.6 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 CVE-2014-6894 vulnerability affects the Lucktastic Android application version 1.2.6, representing a critical security flaw in the application's SSL certificate validation mechanism. This vulnerability falls under the category of improper certificate validation, which is classified as CWE-295 within the CWE database. The application fails to properly verify X.509 certificates from SSL servers, creating a significant security gap that adversaries can exploit to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to implement proper certificate pinning or validation procedures that are standard in secure mobile applications.
The technical implementation flaw lies in the application's network communication stack where it accepts any SSL certificate without performing the necessary verification steps. This includes checking certificate signatures, validating certificate authorities, examining certificate expiration dates, and ensuring proper hostname matching. When an attacker intercepts network traffic, they can present a maliciously crafted certificate that appears to be from a legitimate server, and the application will accept it without question. This behavior directly violates fundamental security principles of secure communication and creates an attack surface that allows for credential theft, data interception, and session hijacking.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for users of the affected application, as it undermines the entire purpose of SSL/TLS encryption. Attackers can exploit this weakness to eavesdrop on sensitive communications, steal user credentials, access personal data, and potentially take control of user accounts. The vulnerability affects all users who interact with the application's network services, making it particularly dangerous in environments where sensitive information is transmitted. From an adversary perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which involves network service scanning and T1566 which covers credential harvesting through social engineering and network attacks. The lack of certificate verification creates a persistent threat vector that remains active as long as the vulnerable application version is installed.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate remediation efforts including implementing proper SSL certificate validation, establishing certificate pinning mechanisms, and ensuring all network communications undergo rigorous certificate verification. Organizations should update the application to a version that includes proper certificate validation, implement certificate transparency checks, and consider deploying additional network monitoring to detect potential attacks. The fix should incorporate industry best practices such as those outlined in OWASP Mobile Top 10 M3 and the Android Security Best Practices guidelines, which emphasize the importance of secure network communication and proper certificate handling. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious certificate validation patterns and potential man-in-the-middle attacks targeting vulnerable applications.