CVE-2014-6920 in Canal 44
Summary
by MITRE
The Canal 44 (aka com.canal.canal44) application 1.0 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-2014-6920 affects the Canal 44 Android application version 1.0, specifically targeting its implementation of secure communication protocols. This flaw represents a critical weakness in the application's security architecture that undermines the fundamental principles of secure data transmission. The application fails to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the communication channel between the mobile client and remote servers. This vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality and integrity of data transmitted through the application, as it allows attackers to establish fraudulent connections without proper authentication.
The technical implementation flaw stems from the application's failure to perform certificate validation checks during the SSL handshake process. According to the CWE classification system, this represents a weakness in the validation of cryptographic certificates, specifically categorized under CWE-295 which addresses improper certificate validation. The application essentially accepts any certificate presented by a server without verifying its authenticity through trusted certificate authorities or performing proper certificate chain validation. This primitive approach to SSL certificate handling creates a dangerous trust model where the application cannot distinguish between legitimate servers and malicious actors who might present forged certificates.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables man-in-the-middle attacks that can result in significant data compromise. Attackers can intercept communications between the Canal 44 application and its servers by presenting a malicious certificate that appears legitimate to the application. This allows them to eavesdrop on sensitive information transmitted through the application, including user credentials, personal data, and potentially financial information. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential service disruption and reputational damage for the application developers and content providers. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1046 (Network Service Scanning) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers can exploit this weakness to establish unauthorized communication channels and potentially deliver malicious payloads.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly severe given that the application likely handles user authentication and content delivery services. Mobile applications that fail to properly implement SSL certificate validation create persistent security risks that can be exploited by attackers with minimal technical expertise. The vulnerability affects all users of the application version 1.0 and persists until the underlying code is updated to implement proper certificate validation mechanisms. Mitigation strategies must include immediate code updates to implement proper certificate pinning or validation procedures, along with deployment of security patches that enforce trusted certificate authority validation. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish proper security testing protocols to prevent similar issues in future application releases.