CVE-2014-6908 in Forum IC
Summary
by MITRE
The Forum IC (aka com.tapatalk.forumimmigrercom) application 3.3.12 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.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6908 affects the Forum IC Android application version 3.3.12, specifically targeting its implementation of secure communication protocols. This represents a critical security flaw in the application's certificate validation mechanism that fundamentally undermines the integrity of encrypted data transmission between the mobile client and remote servers. The vulnerability resides in the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates, which are essential cryptographic elements that establish trust between communicating parties in secure socket layer communications.
This technical weakness creates a man-in-the-middle attack vector that enables malicious actors to intercept and manipulate communications between the vulnerable Android application and its backend services. The flaw allows attackers to present forged certificates that appear legitimate to the application, thereby bypassing the security measures designed to protect sensitive user data and communications. The vulnerability directly relates to CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and represents a failure in certificate pinning mechanisms that should verify the authenticity of server certificates against trusted authorities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it can enable comprehensive surveillance and data exfiltration capabilities for threat actors. Attackers can exploit this weakness to obtain sensitive information including user credentials, private communications, and potentially financial data transmitted through the compromised application. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in mobile environments where users may be accessing sensitive information over untrusted networks, creating multiple attack surfaces for exploitation. This flaw can result in significant privacy violations and data breaches that compromise user trust and organizational security posture.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's network communication stack. The recommended approach involves establishing certificate pinning strategies that verify server certificates against known good certificates or public key fingerprints, rather than relying solely on standard certificate chain validation. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual certificate behavior and consider deploying additional security controls such as network segmentation and traffic inspection tools. The remediation process requires updating the application code to enforce strict certificate validation procedures and ensuring that all network communications utilize proper SSL/TLS implementation practices that align with industry standards and best practices for mobile application security.