CVE-2014-5547 in Mahjong Galaxy Space Lite
Summary
by MITRE
The Mahjong Galaxy Space Lite (aka air.com.permadi.mahjongIris) application 2.5 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 • 08/24/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5547 affects the Mahjong Galaxy Space Lite Android application version 2.5, representing a critical security flaw in the application's cryptographic implementation. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that exposes users to sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks. The vulnerability directly impacts the application's ability to establish secure communications with remote servers, fundamentally undermining the integrity of the encrypted data transmission process.
This technical flaw constitutes a severe deviation from established security protocols and represents a violation of the principle of certificate validation that is fundamental to secure communications. The application's improper handling of SSL certificates allows attackers to present maliciously crafted certificates that appear legitimate to the application, enabling them to intercept and potentially modify data transmitted between the mobile device and remote servers. The vulnerability specifically affects the certificate verification process, which is a core component of the Transport Layer Security protocol implementation. This weakness creates an environment where attackers can establish fraudulent connections without proper authentication, effectively bypassing the security mechanisms designed to protect sensitive information exchanges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to obtain sensitive information through crafted certificates that can masquerade as legitimate server endpoints. Mobile applications that rely on secure communications for user authentication, data synchronization, or transaction processing become particularly vulnerable to exploitation. The attack vector leverages the trust model inherent in SSL/TLS implementations, where the application's failure to validate certificate chains creates a window of opportunity for attackers to manipulate communications. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in mobile environments where users may be transmitting personal information, financial data, or other sensitive credentials through applications that fail to properly implement certificate validation.
The security implications of CVE-2014-5547 align with CWE-295, which specifically addresses the issue of "Improper Certificate Validation" in security protocols. This vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1041, which describes data transmission through command and control channels, as attackers can exploit the insecure certificate validation to establish unauthorized communication channels. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the application's security architecture that violates industry best practices for mobile application security. Organizations deploying similar applications would be advised to implement proper certificate pinning mechanisms, enforce strict certificate validation procedures, and regularly audit their cryptographic implementations to prevent such vulnerabilities from compromising user data integrity and confidentiality.
The remediation of this vulnerability requires comprehensive implementation of proper SSL certificate validation procedures that include chain of trust verification, certificate expiration checking, and hostname validation. Security measures should encompass certificate pinning to prevent the acceptance of fraudulent certificates, implementation of certificate revocation checking mechanisms, and adherence to established security frameworks such as those defined by NIST SP 800-57 and ISO/IEC 27001. Mobile application developers must ensure that all SSL/TLS connections properly validate certificate chains through trusted certificate authorities and implement robust error handling for certificate validation failures to prevent the application from proceeding with insecure connections.