CVE-2018-0622 in DHC Online Shop App
Summary
by MITRE
The DHC Online Shop App for Android version 3.2.0 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 • 03/10/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-0622 affects the DHC Online Shop App for Android versions 3.2.0 and earlier, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating an exploitable condition that undermines the fundamental security principles of encrypted communication. The flaw specifically impacts the certificate verification process, which is essential for establishing trust between the mobile application and remote servers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the application's network security configuration where SSL certificate validation is either absent or improperly implemented. When an Android application establishes a secure connection to a server, it should verify the server's X.509 certificate against a trusted certificate authority to ensure the authenticity of the server. In this case, the DHC Online Shop App fails to perform this critical validation step, allowing attackers to present malicious certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This creates a man-in-the-middle attack vector where an adversary can intercept and manipulate communications between the mobile application and backend services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables comprehensive surveillance and data manipulation capabilities for malicious actors. Attackers can exploit this weakness to eavesdrop on sensitive transactions, capture user credentials, and access personal information such as credit card details, personal identification data, and other confidential information transmitted through the application. The vulnerability particularly affects e-commerce transactions where users expect their financial and personal data to remain protected through secure encrypted channels. This flaw directly violates the security principles of confidentiality and integrity that are fundamental to secure mobile applications.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and represents a clear violation of the principle of certificate pinning and proper SSL/TLS implementation. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a credential access technique under the 'T1552' category, specifically targeting the exploitation of weak encryption and certificate validation mechanisms. Organizations using this application face significant risk of data breaches, regulatory compliance violations, and potential financial losses due to compromised user data. The vulnerability also exposes users to identity theft and financial fraud, as attackers can manipulate transaction data and redirect payments to malicious accounts.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application, including certificate pinning to prevent the acceptance of unauthorized certificates. The application should be updated to enforce strict SSL/TLS certificate verification procedures, ensuring that all connections to backend services require valid certificates from trusted authorities. Additionally, implementing network security monitoring to detect anomalous certificate behavior and establishing regular security audits of mobile applications will help prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security layers such as mutual authentication and secure key management to further protect against exploitation of this class of vulnerability.