CVE-2014-6937 in China CITIC Bank Credit Card
Summary
by MITRE
The China CITIC Bank Credit Card (aka com.citiccard.mobilebank) application 3.3.6 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 • 09/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6937 represents a critical security flaw in the China CITIC Bank Credit Card mobile application version 3.3.6 for Android platforms. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS communications, creating a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise user data and financial transactions. The vulnerability specifically affects the certificate verification process that should occur during secure communication between the mobile client and the bank's servers, fundamentally undermining the cryptographic security measures designed to protect sensitive financial information.
This technical flaw constitutes a failure in the application's secure communication implementation, where the mobile banking client neglects to perform proper certificate chain validation and trust verification. The absence of X.509 certificate validation creates a man-in-the-middle attack vector that allows adversaries to intercept and manipulate communications between the user's device and the bank's servers. Attackers can present forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application, enabling them to establish fraudulent connections and potentially access sensitive user data, transaction details, and personal financial information. This vulnerability directly violates established security principles for mobile banking applications and represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it compromises the core security assurances that users expect from financial mobile applications. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain access to credit card information, personal identification details, transaction histories, and potentially facilitate fraudulent transactions. The attack requires minimal technical expertise and can be executed through standard man-in-the-middle techniques, making it particularly dangerous for widespread exploitation. Users conducting banking operations through the affected application are at significant risk of financial loss and identity theft, while the bank faces potential regulatory penalties and reputational damage due to inadequate security controls in their mobile platform.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate certificate validation implementation within the application's SSL/TLS handshake process. The remediation approach must include proper certificate chain validation, trust store management, and implementation of certificate pinning mechanisms to prevent the acceptance of forged certificates. Security measures should align with industry standards such as those recommended in the OWASP Mobile Security Project and NIST guidelines for mobile application security. Organizations should implement certificate verification procedures that check certificate signatures, expiration dates, and issuer authenticity, while also considering the use of certificate transparency mechanisms to detect and prevent the issuance of fraudulent certificates. The fix should also include comprehensive security testing and code review processes to ensure that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other security-critical components of the mobile application. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper cryptographic implementation in mobile financial applications and serves as a reminder of the severe consequences that can result from inadequate security controls in banking systems.