CVE-2016-1186 in Kintone Mobile
Summary
by MITRE
Kintone mobile for Android 1.0.0 through 1.0.5 does not verify SSL server certificates.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1186 affects Kintone mobile applications for Android operating systems version 1.0.0 through 1.0.5. This represents a critical security flaw in the mobile application's implementation of secure communication protocols. The issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate SSL server certificates during network communications, creating a fundamental weakness in the security infrastructure that protects user data and system integrity.
The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of SSL certificate verification within the application's network stack. When the Kintone mobile application establishes connections to remote servers, it should validate the server certificates against trusted certificate authorities to ensure the authenticity and integrity of the communication endpoint. However, this verification process is entirely bypassed in the affected versions, allowing attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks without detection. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communication implementations. This weakness enables attackers to intercept, modify, or redirect network traffic between the mobile application and its backend services without the application detecting the compromised connection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant and multifaceted across multiple attack vectors. Mobile users who interact with Kintone applications over unsecured networks become vulnerable to various cyber attacks including credential theft, data exfiltration, and unauthorized access to business-critical information. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations using Kintone for business process automation, document management, and collaborative workflows where sensitive corporate data is transmitted through the mobile application. Attackers can exploit this weakness to capture authentication tokens, manipulate business data, or gain unauthorized access to enterprise systems that rely on Kintone for operational functions. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1041 for Exfiltration Over C2 Channel and T1566 for Phishing, as attackers can leverage the compromised connection to establish persistent access to corporate networks.
Organizations utilizing affected Kintone mobile applications should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability. The most effective solution involves updating to the latest version of the Kintone mobile application where SSL certificate verification has been properly implemented and enforced. Security administrators should also consider implementing network-level monitoring to detect anomalous traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additional protective measures include deploying network segmentation to limit lateral movement, implementing robust network access controls, and establishing comprehensive monitoring of SSL/TLS connections for suspicious activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper certificate validation in mobile applications and highlights the need for rigorous security testing during the development lifecycle. Organizations should also consider implementing security awareness training for users to recognize potential phishing attempts that may exploit this vulnerability. Given the nature of the flaw, the recommended remediation is not only a software update but also a comprehensive review of mobile security policies and procedures to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other applications.