CVE-2014-6959 in QinCard
Summary
by MITRE
The QinCard (aka com.haowan.qincard) application 2.0 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-2014-6959 affects the QinCard Android application version 2.0, specifically targeting its implementation of secure communication protocols. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in the application's certificate validation mechanism, creating an exploitable condition that undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by SSL/TLS encryption. The vulnerability resides in the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure communication sessions, which directly violates established security practices for mobile application development and network security.
The technical implementation flaw stems from the application's complete omission of certificate verification procedures during SSL handshake processes. When the QinCard application establishes secure connections to remote servers, it accepts any certificate presented without performing the necessary validation checks that should confirm certificate authenticity, validity period, issuer trust, and proper signature verification. This behavior creates a man-in-the-middle attack vector where malicious actors can intercept communications and present forged certificates that the application will accept as legitimate. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and represents a classic example of weak cryptographic implementation that exposes applications to active attack scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to encompass comprehensive information disclosure and potential system compromise. Attackers leveraging this weakness can successfully impersonate legitimate servers and gain access to sensitive user data, session tokens, and potentially personal information transmitted through the vulnerable application. The implications are particularly severe given that this affects a mobile application that likely handles user credentials, financial information, or other confidential data. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 (Phishing via Social Engineering) and T1046 (Network Service Scanning) as attackers can exploit the trust relationship to establish persistent access points. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to establish a false sense of security while simultaneously compromising the integrity and confidentiality of all communications between the mobile device and backend services.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application. Developers must implement certificate pinning techniques to ensure that only pre-approved certificates or certificate authorities are accepted, along with proper certificate chain validation that checks certificate validity periods, issuer trust, and digital signatures. The application should enforce strict certificate validation during SSL handshake procedures and implement appropriate error handling for certificate validation failures. Security measures should include regular certificate updates, implementation of certificate transparency checks, and adherence to industry standards such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect potential man-in-the-middle attacks and establish incident response procedures for certificate-related security events. The remediation process should involve comprehensive code review and security testing to ensure that all SSL/TLS connections within the application properly validate certificate authenticity and maintain the security assurances that users expect from mobile applications.