CVE-2014-6999 in Questoes OAB
Summary
by MITRE
The Questoes OAB (aka com.pedefeijao.questoesoab) application oab_android_1.2 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 • 09/25/2024
The CVE-2014-6999 vulnerability affects the Questoes OAB Android application version 1.2, specifically targeting the application's secure communication implementation. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in the mobile application's cryptographic handshake process, where the software fails to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates presented by remote servers. The vulnerability resides in the application's certificate verification mechanism, which is essential for establishing trust in secure communications between mobile clients and backend servers. The absence of proper certificate validation creates an exploitable gap that allows malicious actors to intercept and manipulate encrypted communications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to perform X.509 certificate validation during SSL/TLS connections. This weakness enables attackers to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The flaw operates at the transport layer security validation level, where the application should be implementing certificate pinning or proper certificate chain validation but instead accepts any certificate presented by a server. This behavior directly violates security best practices for mobile application development and exposes users to potential data interception and theft.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-6999 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a persistent security risk for users of the Questoes OAB application. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to intercept sensitive user data including personal information, exam answers, and other confidential materials that users might submit through the application. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects an application designed for legal professionals, potentially compromising sensitive legal data and client information. From an attacker perspective, this represents a low-effort, high-impact exploit that can be automated and does not require sophisticated techniques to execute successfully.
This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and aligns with multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1041, T1566, and T1571. The weakness creates a pathway for attackers to establish persistent access to user data and potentially compromise the integrity of the application's communication channels. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including certificate pinning, proper certificate validation routines, and regular security audits of mobile applications. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following OWASP Mobile Top 10 security guidelines, particularly M3 and M5, which address insecure communication and improper certificate validation respectively. Remediation efforts should focus on implementing robust SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanisms, including certificate pinning, and ensuring all network communications properly validate server certificates against trusted certificate authorities.