CVE-2014-5552 in Numbers! Addition! Math Games
Summary
by MITRE
The Numbers & Addition! Math games (aka air.com.tribalnova.ilearnwith.ipad.App2En) application 1.4.3 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-2014-5552 affects the Numbers & Addition! Math games application version 1.4.3 for Android devices, 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 exposure that undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by secure communication protocols. The vulnerability exists within the application's network security architecture where it fails to perform certificate chain validation, certificate hostname verification, or certificate trust verification against established certificate authorities.
This weakness enables man-in-the-middle attack scenarios where malicious actors can intercept communications between the vulnerable application and remote servers. The attacker can present a crafted certificate that appears legitimate to the application, allowing them to establish fake secure connections while the application believes it is communicating with authentic servers. The flaw specifically impacts the SSL/TLS certificate verification process, which is a core component of secure network communication and is defined by standards such as RFC 5280 for X.509 certificate format and RFC 5246 for TLS protocol implementation. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which describes improper certificate validation, and represents a failure to implement proper certificate pinning or validation mechanisms that are essential for maintaining secure communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as the application may be transmitting sensitive user information including personal data, educational progress metrics, or potentially account credentials through insecure channels. Mobile applications that fail to validate SSL certificates create persistent security risks for users who may unknowingly share confidential information with malicious actors who have positioned themselves between the application and legitimate servers. The vulnerability affects not only the immediate data being transmitted but also potentially compromises the integrity of the entire user experience within the application, as attackers could manipulate game data, user progress, or educational content delivery.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly under the T1046 technique for network service scanning and T1566 for credential harvesting through social engineering. The lack of certificate validation creates an attack surface that can be exploited by threat actors to perform session hijacking, data exfiltration, or to deliver malicious payloads through compromised communication channels. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including certificate pinning, proper certificate validation routines, and network monitoring to detect potential man-in-the-middle activities. The vulnerability underscores the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Mobile Top 10 and the Android Security Best Practices guidelines, which emphasize the necessity of robust cryptographic implementations and proper SSL/TLS certificate handling in mobile applications to prevent such security breaches.