CVE-2014-6964 in Hanyang University Admissions
Summary
by MITRE
The Hanyang University Admissions (aka kr.ac.hanyang.planner) application 2.1.3 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-2014-6964 affects the Hanyang University Admissions Android application version 2.1.3, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's SSL certificate verification mechanism. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure communications. The absence of certificate verification creates a significant attack surface that enables malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks against users of the application. The vulnerability specifically impacts the application's ability to establish trust with legitimate servers, as it accepts any certificate presented without proper validation of the certificate authority or certificate chain.
From a technical perspective, the flaw represents a classic implementation of weak SSL/TLS certificate validation, which falls under the CWE-295 vulnerability category for improper certificate validation. The application essentially operates in a state of trust without proper verification, allowing attackers to generate or obtain certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This weakness enables adversaries to intercept and manipulate communications between the mobile application and its backend servers. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects sensitive information handling within an academic admissions system, potentially exposing personal data, academic records, and other confidential information. The attack vector requires the adversary to position themselves between the user and the server, typically through network interception or by compromising a network node that the user connects to.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it undermines the fundamental security model of secure communications within mobile applications. Attackers can exploit this weakness to redirect users to malicious servers, inject false admission information, or capture login credentials and personal data submitted through the application. The consequences are particularly severe for an admissions system where users might be submitting sensitive personal information, academic records, or financial data. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1573.002 for "Encrypted Channel" and T1046 for "Network Service Scanning" as attackers can leverage the weak SSL validation to establish unauthorized communication channels. The attack requires minimal technical expertise and can be executed through standard network interception tools, making it particularly dangerous for widespread exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve implementing proper certificate pinning mechanisms and ensuring that the application validates certificate chains against trusted certificate authorities. Security patches should enforce strict certificate validation procedures, including checking certificate expiration dates, verifying certificate signatures, and ensuring certificates are issued by trusted authorities. The application should implement certificate pinning to prevent the acceptance of arbitrary certificates, and developers should utilize proper SSL/TLS libraries that handle certificate validation automatically. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual certificate behavior and establish secure communication protocols that prevent the exploitation of such weaknesses. The fix should address the root cause by ensuring that all SSL connections properly validate server certificates and reject untrusted or self-signed certificates. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar certificate validation issues in other mobile applications within the organization's ecosystem.