CVE-2014-5543 in Hidden Object Alice Free
Summary
by MITRE
The Hidden Object - Alice Free (aka air.com.differencegames.hovisionsofalicefree) application 1.0.17 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-2014-5543 affects the Hidden Object - Alice Free Android application version 1.0.17, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's SSL certificate verification mechanism. This weakness enables man-in-the-middle attacks where adversaries can craft malicious certificates to impersonate legitimate SSL servers, thereby compromising the confidentiality and integrity of data transmitted between the mobile application and remote servers. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating an exploitable gap in the security architecture that directly violates fundamental principles of secure communication.
This technical flaw represents a classic implementation of CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications. The application's omission of certificate verification creates a pathway for attackers to establish fraudulent SSL connections without proper authentication, allowing them to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive user data including personal information, login credentials, or financial details transmitted through the application. The vulnerability operates at the transport layer security level where SSL/TLS certificates should normally provide authentication and encryption guarantees that are completely undermined by this missing validation step.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass potential identity theft, financial fraud, and privacy violations for users of the application. Mobile applications that fail to validate SSL certificates create persistent security risks for users who may unknowingly transmit sensitive information to compromised servers. The vulnerability affects all users of the affected Android application version and remains exploitable regardless of the user's security awareness or device configuration, making it particularly dangerous in environments where mobile devices handle sensitive personal or corporate data. This weakness directly aligns with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1566 technique for credential access through man-in-the-middle attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper SSL certificate validation within the application's network communication layer. Developers must ensure that all SSL connections perform comprehensive certificate chain validation including issuer verification, expiration date checks, and hostname matching against the expected server identity. The application should implement certificate pinning mechanisms to prevent downgrade attacks and ensure that only pre-approved certificates are accepted from specific servers. Additionally, security patches should enforce proper SSL/TLS protocol versions and cipher suite selection to prevent exploitation through known vulnerabilities in older cryptographic implementations. Organizations should conduct thorough security reviews of all mobile applications to identify similar certificate validation weaknesses and implement comprehensive security testing including penetration testing and secure coding practices to prevent recurrence of such issues.