CVE-2018-0553 in iRemoconWiFi App
Summary
by MITRE
The iRemoconWiFi App for Android version 4.1.7 and earlier 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 • 01/23/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0553 affects the iRemoconWiFi Android application version 4.1.7 and earlier, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's SSL/TLS certificate verification mechanism. This weakness fundamentally undermines the application's ability to establish secure communications with remote servers, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors. The vulnerability resides in the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL handshake processes, which is a fundamental requirement for maintaining secure network communications.
The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of certificate pinning or validation procedures within the application's secure communication framework. When the iRemoconWiFi App attempts to establish SSL connections with its remote servers, it fails to verify the authenticity of the presented X.509 certificates against trusted certificate authorities or established certificate chains. This absence of certificate validation creates a man-in-the-middle attack vector where adversaries can intercept communications and present fraudulent certificates to establish fake secure connections with the application. The vulnerability specifically affects the SSL/TLS implementation within the Android application, making it susceptible to cryptographic attacks that would normally be prevented by proper certificate verification.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to obtain sensitive information through crafted certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. An attacker positioned between the mobile device and the server can intercept and modify communications, potentially gaining access to user credentials, configuration data, or other sensitive information transmitted through the application. This flaw particularly affects IoT device management scenarios where the application serves as a remote control interface, making it a target for attackers seeking to compromise connected devices. The vulnerability affects not only data confidentiality but also integrity, as attackers can modify communications in transit without detection.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-295 which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041 for Exfiltration Over C2 Channel, and T1566 for Phishing with Social Engineering. The lack of certificate validation represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture, as proper SSL/TLS implementation requires robust certificate verification mechanisms. Organizations using this application face significant risk of credential theft, data breaches, and potential device compromise. The vulnerability also impacts the application's compliance with security standards such as NIST SP 800-57 for cryptographic key management and the OWASP Mobile Top 10 for secure mobile application development.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the application to version 4.1.8 or later, which presumably addresses the certificate validation issue. Organizations should also implement network-level monitoring to detect suspicious certificate behavior and consider deploying certificate pinning mechanisms within their security infrastructure. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of connecting to untrusted networks and the importance of verifying application updates. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of implementing proper SSL/TLS certificate validation in mobile applications, particularly those handling sensitive data or controlling IoT devices. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of all mobile applications to identify similar certificate validation weaknesses that could expose their organizations to similar risks.