CVE-2014-6913 in Dive The World
Summary
by MITRE
The Dive The World (aka com.paperton.wl.divetheworld) application 1.53 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-2014-6913 affects the Dive The World Android application version 1.53, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's secure communication implementation. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack vector that undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by encrypted communication channels. The flaw represents a classic example of inadequate certificate validation, where the application accepts any certificate presented by a server without proper verification against trusted certificate authorities.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-295 category, specifically addressing "Improper Certificate Validation," which is a well-documented weakness in cryptographic implementations. The absence of proper SSL certificate verification creates an environment where attackers can execute successful man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates to unsuspecting users. The application's trust model is fundamentally compromised, as it cannot distinguish between legitimate servers and malicious actors who have crafted certificates to appear authentic. This weakness directly violates the principles of secure communication as outlined in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-52 and RFC 5280, which mandate proper certificate validation procedures to maintain the integrity and authenticity of network communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to obtain sensitive information through sophisticated deception techniques. In the context of mobile applications, this presents particular risk to users who may be transmitting personal data, login credentials, or other confidential information through the application's network connections. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects the core security infrastructure of the application, potentially allowing attackers to redirect users to malicious servers while maintaining the appearance of legitimate communication. This capability enables various attack patterns that align with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's tactics for credential access and defense evasion, where attackers can harvest session tokens, personal information, or other sensitive data without detection.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address the fundamental flaw in certificate validation within the application's SSL implementation. The most effective approach involves implementing proper certificate pinning mechanisms that validate server certificates against known good certificates or public keys, rather than relying solely on the trust chain provided by the operating system. Additionally, the application should implement certificate verification that checks certificate validity periods, issuer authenticity, and subject name matching against expected server identities. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate transparency monitoring and regular security audits of their mobile applications to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components. The remediation process requires comprehensive code review and testing to ensure that all network communication paths properly validate SSL certificates according to established cryptographic best practices and industry standards.