CVE-2014-7006 in HydFM
Summary
by MITRE
The HydFM (aka com.apheliontechnologies.hydfm) application 1.1.9 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 vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7006 affects the HydFM Android application version 1.1.9, specifically targeting its implementation of secure communication protocols. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in the application's approach to establishing trust with remote servers. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating an exploitable condition that undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by cryptographic protocols. This issue directly impacts the application's ability to maintain secure communication channels with backend services, potentially exposing users to various forms of cyber attacks.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the application's improper handling of SSL certificate validation mechanisms. When establishing secure connections, the application should verify that certificates presented by servers are valid, properly signed by trusted Certificate Authorities, and match the expected server identity. However, the HydFM application bypasses these essential verification steps, allowing any certificate to be accepted regardless of its authenticity or trustworthiness. This behavior creates a man-in-the-middle attack vector where malicious actors can intercept communications by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The flaw operates at the transport layer security validation level, making it particularly dangerous as it undermines the entire SSL/TLS security framework that modern applications rely upon for secure data transmission.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, potentially enabling comprehensive data theft and system compromise. Attackers exploiting this weakness can gain access to sensitive user information including personal data, authentication credentials, and potentially financial information transmitted through the application's secure channels. The vulnerability affects all communication between the mobile application and its backend servers, making it particularly concerning for applications handling confidential user data. From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with attack patterns described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the 'Initial Access' and 'Credential Access' domains, where adversaries establish footholds and escalate privileges through compromised communication channels. The weakness also corresponds to CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications, making it a well-documented and commonly exploited security flaw.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation procedures within the application. The recommended approach involves configuring the application to perform comprehensive X.509 certificate validation including checking certificate chains, verifying signatures against trusted CAs, and ensuring certificate subject names match the target server addresses. Security patches should enforce certificate pinning mechanisms where appropriate, and the application should implement robust error handling for certificate validation failures. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect suspicious certificate usage patterns and establish automated vulnerability scanning processes to identify similar issues in other mobile applications. The remediation process must align with industry standards such as those defined in NIST SP 800-57 for cryptographic key management and TLS protocol implementation guidelines, ensuring that the application's security posture meets established best practices for mobile application security.