CVE-2014-6955 in Le Grand Bleu
Summary
by MITRE
The Le Grand Bleu (aka com.appzone468) 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 • 09/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6955 affects the Le Grand Bleu Android application version 1.0, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data integrity and confidentiality. The vulnerability specifically impacts the application's ability to establish trust with remote servers, fundamentally undermining the security assurances that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide.
The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of certificate verification mechanisms within the application's network communication stack. When the Le Grand Bleu application establishes SSL connections to remote servers, it fails to perform the essential validation steps required to confirm certificate authenticity, including checking certificate chains, validating issuer information, and verifying domain name matches. This omission places the application in direct violation of established security best practices and industry standards, particularly those outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project recommendations for secure communication implementation. The vulnerability can be categorized under CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," making it a direct descendant of well-known certificate validation weaknesses that have plagued numerous mobile applications over the years.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data interception, creating multiple attack vectors that can be leveraged by sophisticated threat actors. Man-in-the-middle attackers can exploit this flaw by presenting maliciously crafted certificates to unsuspecting users, effectively allowing them to impersonate legitimate servers and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information transmitted through the application. This includes personal data, login credentials, financial information, and any other confidential data that users might transmit or receive through the vulnerable application. The attack scenario becomes particularly concerning given that the application targets Android users, who represent a significant portion of mobile device users globally, potentially exposing thousands of users to data compromise.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to credential access and defense evasion. Attackers can leverage this weakness to perform credential harvesting attacks, where they capture authentication information as users interact with the application. Additionally, the vulnerability supports persistence mechanisms that could allow attackers to maintain access to compromised user accounts over extended periods. The lack of certificate validation also enables attackers to bypass network monitoring systems that might otherwise detect suspicious certificate behavior, making this attack vector particularly stealthy and difficult to detect.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms within the application's network communication layer. Developers must implement comprehensive certificate pinning techniques, ensuring that the application only accepts certificates from trusted authorities and specific server identities. The solution should incorporate proper certificate chain validation, including checking certificate expiration dates, verifying certificate signatures, and ensuring domain name alignment with the expected server identity. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate transparency monitoring and regular security audits to detect similar vulnerabilities in other applications. The fix should align with industry standards such as those defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for mobile application security and should be validated through thorough penetration testing to ensure the remediation is effective against various attack scenarios.