CVE-2015-2943 in LINC
Summary
by MITRE
Honda Moto LINC 1.6.1 does not verify SSL certificates.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/13/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2943 affects Honda Moto LINC version 1.6.1, representing a critical security flaw in the mobile application's communication protocols. This issue resides within the application's implementation of secure socket layer verification mechanisms, where the software fails to properly validate SSL certificates during network communications. The absence of certificate verification creates a fundamental security weakness that undermines the integrity of data transmission between the mobile device and Honda's backend systems. This vulnerability specifically targets the cryptographic security controls that should ensure authenticated and encrypted communication channels, leaving users exposed to potential man-in-the-middle attacks and data interception scenarios. The flaw represents a failure in proper secure communication implementation that violates established security best practices for mobile applications handling sensitive user data.
The technical implementation flaw stems from the application's omission of SSL certificate validation during the TLS handshake process. When the Moto LINC application establishes connections to Honda's servers, it should verify the server's SSL certificate against trusted certificate authorities to confirm the authenticity of the endpoint. However, the application bypasses this crucial verification step, allowing connections to proceed regardless of certificate validity. This weakness enables attackers to perform SSL stripping attacks or deploy malicious intermediate certificates that can intercept and potentially modify data transmitted between the mobile application and Honda's infrastructure. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a failure in proper cryptographic implementation that leaves the application susceptible to various network-based attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data transmission concerns to encompass potential compromise of user privacy and vehicle security systems. Mobile applications like Moto LINC typically handle sensitive information including user credentials, vehicle diagnostic data, and potentially personal location information. Without proper SSL certificate verification, attackers can intercept communications and potentially gain access to this sensitive data, leading to privacy violations and potential unauthorized vehicle control scenarios. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the communication channel between the mobile device and Honda's servers, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate vehicle-related services or extract confidential information. This weakness particularly impacts mobile applications that rely on secure communication for critical vehicle functions, where compromised data integrity could lead to serious operational consequences.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper SSL certificate validation within the Moto LINC application. The application must be updated to enforce certificate chain validation against trusted root certificates, implement certificate pinning where appropriate, and ensure that all network communications require valid SSL certificates before establishing connections. Security patches should enforce strict certificate validation during the TLS handshake process, rejecting connections to servers with invalid, expired, or untrusted certificates. Organizations should also implement monitoring systems to detect and alert on potential certificate validation failures or suspicious network activity. This remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046, which addresses network service scanning, and addresses the fundamental security principle of secure communication. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be implemented to prevent similar certificate validation failures in future releases, ensuring that all mobile applications properly implement cryptographic security controls as specified in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-52 and OWASP Mobile Top 10. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper certificate validation in mobile security implementations and demonstrates the potential consequences of inadequate cryptographic controls in vehicle-related applications.