CVE-2015-5717 in COMPAS Mobile Application
Summary
by MITRE
The Siemens COMPAS Mobile application before 1.6 for Android does not properly 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 • 06/13/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-5717 affects the Siemens COMPAS Mobile application version 1.5 and earlier for Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanism. This weakness stems from insufficient X.509 certificate verification processes that fail to properly authenticate server identities during secure communications. The vulnerability creates a significant attack surface that enables malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's failure to implement proper certificate chain validation and hostname verification procedures that are fundamental to secure SSL/TLS communications. When the COMPAS Mobile application establishes connections to SSL servers, it does not adequately validate certificate signatures, expiration dates, or certificate authority trust relationships. This inadequate verification allows attackers to generate or obtain certificates that can bypass the application's security checks, effectively enabling them to impersonate legitimate servers without detection. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate validation logic within the Android application's networking stack, where the application should enforce strict certificate pinning or trust verification mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it compromises the integrity and confidentiality of all communications between the mobile device and backend servers. Attackers can exploit this weakness to eavesdrop on sensitive data transmissions, potentially accessing confidential operational information, control commands, or proprietary data that flows through the COMPAS system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for industrial control environments where the COMPAS application is used for managing critical infrastructure, as it could enable attackers to manipulate control signals or gain unauthorized access to operational systems. This weakness undermines the fundamental security assumptions of the mobile application and creates opportunities for sophisticated attacks that could disrupt industrial processes or compromise system integrity.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Siemens COMPAS Mobile application version 1.6 or later, which contains the necessary certificate validation fixes. Additional protective measures include implementing certificate pinning strategies, deploying network monitoring tools to detect anomalous certificate behavior, and establishing regular security assessments of mobile application environments. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-295 which addresses "Improper Certificate Validation" and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should be addressed through proper input validation and cryptographic implementation. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1041 which involves data compression and T1566 which covers credential access through social engineering, though the primary threat vector is network-based man-in-the-middle attacks. The remediation process should include comprehensive security testing of all mobile applications that handle sensitive industrial data and implementation of robust certificate management policies to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future deployments.