CVE-2014-6940 in Absolute Lending Solutions
Summary
by MITRE
The Absolute Lending Solutions (aka com.soln.S008F6C05EC0B63264B429F6D76286562) application 1.0073.b0073 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-2014-6940 affects the Absolute Lending Solutions Android application version 1.0073.b0073 which implements insecure SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanisms. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in the application's cryptographic implementation that directly undermines the integrity of secure communications between the mobile client and backend servers. The application fails to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the trust relationship and compromise sensitive data transmission. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of improper certificate validation as classified by CWE-295, which specifically addresses the failure to validate certificate chains and trust relationships in secure communications.
The technical implementation flaw manifests in the application's inability to perform proper certificate verification during the SSL handshake process. When establishing secure connections, the application should validate certificate authenticity through proper chain of trust verification, including checking certificate expiration dates, verifying the certificate authority signatures, and ensuring the presented certificate matches the expected server identity. However, this implementation omits or bypasses these essential validation steps, allowing any certificate to be accepted regardless of its legitimacy or trustworthiness. Attackers can exploit this weakness by presenting a maliciously crafted certificate that appears to be from a trusted authority, thereby deceiving the application into establishing a secure-looking connection while actually communicating with an attacker-controlled server.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise not only user credentials but also sensitive financial information, personal data, and transaction details processed through the lending application. Mobile banking and financial applications are particularly vulnerable to such attacks since they handle highly sensitive information, and the absence of proper certificate validation creates an attack surface where attackers can transparently intercept, modify, or steal data without detection. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of communications, potentially allowing attackers to perform session hijacking, credential theft, or data manipulation attacks that can result in significant financial losses and privacy breaches for users of the application.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanisms within the application. The recommended approach involves configuring the application to perform complete certificate chain validation, including checking certificate signatures against trusted root authorities, verifying certificate expiration dates, and implementing hostname verification to ensure certificates match the expected server identity. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate pinning techniques to further strengthen security by hardcoding expected certificate fingerprints or public keys within the application. Additionally, the application should be updated to use modern cryptographic libraries that properly enforce certificate validation standards, and regular security audits should be conducted to ensure ongoing compliance with industry best practices. This remediation approach aligns with the security requirements outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project and addresses the fundamental security principles of authentication and data protection as defined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, effectively closing the attack vector that allows for unauthorized certificate acceptance and man-in-the-middle communication interception.