CVE-2014-6904 in Safe Browser - The Web Filter
Summary
by MITRE
The Safe Browser - The Web Filter (aka com.cloudacl) application 1.2.5 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 • 09/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6904 affects the Safe Browser - The Web Filter application version 1.2.5 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the application's SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanism. This vulnerability falls under the category of weak cryptographic practices and certificate validation failures, specifically addressing the absence of proper X.509 certificate verification during secure communications. The application fails to implement proper certificate chain validation, which is a fundamental requirement for establishing secure communications over the internet. This flaw directly violates industry security standards and best practices for mobile application security, as outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project and NIST guidelines for secure mobile application development.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to validate SSL/TLS certificates against trusted certificate authorities during the connection establishment process. When the Safe Browser application establishes secure connections to web servers, it does not perform the necessary checks to ensure that the server's certificate is valid, properly signed by a trusted authority, and matches the expected domain name. This omission creates a significant attack surface where malicious actors can exploit the lack of certificate verification to perform man-in-the-middle attacks. The vulnerability specifically relates to CWE-295, which addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a failure in the certificate validation process that should be implemented according to RFC 5280 standards for X.509 certificate validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for users of the affected application. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept and manipulate communications between the Android device and web servers, potentially gaining access to sensitive user data including login credentials, personal information, financial data, and other confidential communications. The man-in-the-middle attack scenario allows adversaries to present forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application, enabling them to decrypt and modify traffic without detection. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in mobile environments where users may access sensitive services such as banking applications, email clients, or corporate networks, making the potential for data theft and privacy violations substantial. The attack vector is easily exploitable within wireless networks, particularly public Wi-Fi hotspots where such attacks are commonly executed.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate remediation efforts including implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms that verify certificate chains against trusted root certificates, implementing hostname verification checks, and ensuring compliance with industry standards such as those specified in the Android Security Best Practices documentation. The application should be updated to include proper SSL/TLS certificate validation using established libraries and frameworks that enforce certificate chain validation, revocation checking, and hostname matching. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect potential man-in-the-middle attacks and deploy additional security controls such as certificate pinning to prevent the use of forged certificates. The remediation process should align with ATT&CK framework tactic TA0006 (Credential Access) and technique T1566 (Phishing), as this vulnerability enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to user credentials and sensitive information through compromised secure communications channels. Security teams should also implement regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar certificate validation weaknesses in other applications and systems within their environment.