CVE-2014-7646 in EMT-Paramedic Lite
Summary
by MITRE
The EMT-Paramedic Lite (aka com.wEMTparamedicLite) application 0.1 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 • 10/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7646 affects the EMT-Paramedic Lite Android application version 0.1, 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, as it fails to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates during network connections. The absence of certificate verification creates a significant attack surface that can be exploited by malicious actors seeking to intercept or manipulate sensitive data transmitted between the mobile application and backend services.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the application's failure to implement proper certificate pinning or validation mechanisms. According to CWE-295, this represents a weakness in certificate validation where the software does not adequately verify the authenticity of SSL certificates presented by servers. The vulnerability manifests when the application accepts any certificate without cryptographic verification, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the client. This behavior directly violates fundamental security principles of secure communications and creates a pathway for man-in-the-middle attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial, as it enables attackers to establish fraudulent connections with the application's servers, potentially gaining access to sensitive user data, personal information, or confidential communications. Mobile applications that rely on secure communication channels for data transmission become particularly vulnerable when they fail to validate server certificates, as users trust the application to maintain secure connections. The attack vector involves intercepting network traffic and presenting a maliciously crafted certificate that the application accepts without proper verification, thereby compromising the integrity and confidentiality of all data exchanged.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a clear example of the ATT&CK technique T1573.002, which involves the use of unencrypted channels for data exfiltration or command and control communications. The lack of certificate verification creates a persistent security gap that can be exploited across multiple attack scenarios, including credential theft, data interception, and session hijacking. Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including certificate pinning, proper SSL/TLS configuration, and regular security assessments to prevent such vulnerabilities from being exploited in real-world scenarios.
Mitigation efforts should focus on implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application, including the use of certificate pinning to ensure that only trusted certificates are accepted. The application should be updated to verify certificate chains against trusted certificate authorities and implement proper error handling for certificate validation failures. Additionally, network monitoring should be deployed to detect suspicious certificate behavior and anomalous network traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in the application's security architecture and ensure that secure communication protocols are properly enforced throughout the application's functionality.