CVE-2014-4898 in Harivijay
Summary
by MITRE
The Harivijay (aka com.upasanhar.marathi.harivijay) application 4.0 for Android 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 • 08/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4898 affects the Harivijay Android application version 4.0, specifically targeting its implementation of secure communication protocols. This application, designed for marathi language users, demonstrates a critical flaw in its cryptographic security measures that directly impacts the integrity of data transmission between mobile devices and remote servers. The issue resides in the application's failure to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates, creating a fundamental security gap that undermines the entire purpose of secure communication channels.
The technical flaw manifests as the absence of X.509 certificate verification within the application's SSL implementation. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communication protocols. When an Android application fails to verify server certificates, it operates in a mode where any certificate presented by a server is accepted without scrutiny, including certificates that may have been forged or issued by unauthorized certificate authorities. The application essentially trusts any certificate that claims to be from a legitimate server, making it susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks where malicious actors can intercept and manipulate communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, creating a comprehensive security risk for users of the Harivijay application. Attackers can exploit this weakness by presenting forged SSL certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application, allowing them to establish secure-looking connections while actually controlling the communication channel. This capability enables attackers to obtain sensitive user information, including personal data, login credentials, and any other information transmitted through the application's communication channels. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the transport layer security level, meaning that all data passing through the application's network connections becomes potentially accessible to malicious actors.
The attack vector for this vulnerability follows the patterns outlined in the ATT&CK framework under T1041, which describes data compression and T1566, which covers credential access through social engineering. An attacker positioned between the user and the server can leverage this vulnerability to perform session hijacking, data theft, and identity impersonation. The consequences include potential financial fraud, privacy violations, and corporate espionage if the application handles sensitive business information. Additionally, the vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege and proper authentication mechanisms that should be inherent in secure mobile applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application. The recommended approach involves implementing certificate pinning, where the application maintains a list of trusted certificate fingerprints or public keys, and validates that the server presents a certificate matching one of these trusted values. This approach aligns with security best practices outlined in OWASP Mobile Top 10 and NIST SP 800-90A. Organizations should also implement certificate transparency checks, ensure the application uses up-to-date SSL/TLS libraries, and regularly audit their cryptographic implementations. The fix requires modifying the application's network security configuration to enforce strict certificate validation, potentially requiring updates to the application's codebase and deployment procedures to ensure proper security controls are maintained.