CVE-2014-6929 in AIHce 2014
Summary
by MITRE
The AIHce 2014 (aka com.coreapps.android.followme.aihce2014) application 6.1.0.0 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 described in CVE-2014-6929 represents a critical security flaw in the AIHce 2014 Android application version 6.1.0.0, which is part of the CoreApps suite of mobile applications. This application, designed for Android devices, fails to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks against users of the application. The flaw specifically affects the certificate verification process, which is fundamental to establishing secure communications between mobile applications and remote servers.
This technical weakness stems from improper implementation of SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanisms within the application's networking stack. The application does not perform the necessary checks to ensure that certificates presented by SSL servers are valid, properly signed by trusted Certificate Authorities, and match the expected server identity. According to CWE-295, this vulnerability falls under the category of "Improper Certificate Validation," which directly enables attackers to present fraudulent certificates that the application will accept as legitimate. The absence of certificate pinning or proper trust chain verification creates an environment where malicious actors can intercept communications and potentially access sensitive user data or system information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of the application and the trust users place in its ability to protect their communications. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. This allows them to decrypt and modify communications between the mobile application and its backend services, potentially gaining access to user credentials, personal information, financial data, or other sensitive content. The vulnerability affects all users of the specific Android application version, creating a widespread security risk that persists until the application is updated to implement proper certificate validation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate application updates that implement proper SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanisms. Security professionals should ensure that the application employs standard certificate validation procedures including checking certificate expiration dates, verifying the certificate chain against trusted root certificates, and performing hostname verification to confirm that certificates match the expected server names. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate pinning techniques as an additional security layer, as recommended by the ATT&CK framework's approach to mobile application security. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications and serves as a reminder of the potential consequences when applications fail to properly validate security certificates during network communications.