CVE-2014-5526 in Inmobi
Summary
by MITRE
The Inmobi library 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-2014-5526 represents a critical security flaw in the Inmobi mobile advertising library for Android platforms. This issue stems from the library's improper implementation of SSL/TLS certificate verification mechanisms, creating a significant attack vector that undermines the fundamental security guarantees of encrypted communications. The flaw specifically affects how the library handles X.509 certificates during SSL handshakes, failing to validate the authenticity and integrity of server certificates presented during secure connections.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the library's failure to perform proper certificate chain validation and hostname verification. When an Android application incorporates the Inmobi library, it inherits this insecure certificate validation behavior, which allows attackers to exploit the trust relationship between the client and server. The vulnerability operates through a man-in-the-middle attack scenario where malicious actors can intercept communications between the mobile application and legitimate servers by presenting forged certificates that appear to be from trusted entities. This weakness directly violates the core principles of public key infrastructure and cryptographic security protocols that SSL/TLS is designed to enforce.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables sophisticated attack scenarios that can compromise user privacy and application security. Attackers leveraging this flaw can obtain sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, financial information, and application-specific data that flows through the compromised communication channels. The vulnerability affects any Android application that integrates the Inmobi advertising library, potentially exposing millions of users to data breaches and privacy violations. The implications are particularly severe given that mobile advertising libraries are widely distributed and integrated into numerous applications across various platforms and industries.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-295 which addresses "Improper Certificate Validation" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041 for Data Obfuscation and T1566 for Phishing. The flaw demonstrates poor security implementation practices that violate industry standards for secure coding and mobile application development. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of the Inmobi library, implementing additional security monitoring, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of applications that utilize third-party libraries. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of thorough security testing for third-party components and the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security practices in mobile application development environments.