CVE-2014-6986 in Pregnancy Tips
Summary
by MITRE
The Pregnancy Tips (aka com.rareartifact.tipsforpregnant71C80129) 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 • 09/24/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6986 affects the Pregnancy Tips Android application version 1.0, specifically targeting its implementation of secure communication protocols. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in the application's cryptographic verification mechanisms, where the software fails to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections. The absence of certificate verification creates an exploitable condition that undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by secure communication channels.
The technical flaw manifests as a failure to implement proper certificate pinning or validation procedures within the application's network communication stack. When the application establishes connections to remote servers, it does not verify the authenticity of the SSL certificates presented by those servers. This omission allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The vulnerability directly relates to CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and represents a classic example of insufficient cryptographic validation in mobile applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to completely impersonate legitimate servers and gain access to sensitive information transmitted through the application. Users who interact with the Pregnancy Tips application may unknowingly share personal health data, login credentials, or other confidential information that could be intercepted and exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability is particularly concerning given the nature of the application, which deals with pregnancy-related information that users would reasonably expect to be protected from unauthorized access. Attackers could leverage this weakness to obtain private medical information, potentially leading to identity theft or other forms of exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's SSL/TLS communication layer. Security professionals should ensure that the application validates certificate chains against trusted certificate authorities and implements certificate pinning where appropriate. The remediation process involves updating the application code to properly verify SSL certificates, incorporating established security libraries that handle certificate validation correctly, and implementing robust error handling for certificate verification failures. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect potential man-in-the-middle attacks and establish secure communication protocols that align with industry standards such as those recommended by the OWASP Mobile Security Project and NIST guidelines for mobile application security. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of cryptographic implementation in mobile applications and the potential consequences of inadequate security controls in healthcare-related software.