CVE-2014-5568 in Las Vegas Lottery Scratch Off
Summary
by MITRE
The Las Vegas Lottery Scratch Off (aka com.androkera.lottery) application 1.2 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-2014-5568 affects the Las Vegas Lottery Scratch Off Android application version 1.2, representing a critical security flaw in the mobile application's cryptographic implementation. This issue resides within the application's SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanism, specifically failing to properly verify X.509 certificates presented by remote servers during secure communications. The flaw fundamentally undermines the application's ability to establish trusted connections with its backend services, creating a dangerous attack surface that exposes users to sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the application's improper handling of SSL certificate validation during network communications. When the application establishes secure connections to its servers, it fails to validate the X.509 certificates presented by these servers against trusted certificate authorities. This omission creates a scenario where attackers can intercept communications between the mobile application and its backend services, presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The flaw directly violates established security principles for secure communication and represents a classic example of inadequate certificate pinning or validation implementation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability exposes users to significant risks including data interception, credential theft, and unauthorized access to personal information. The application likely handles sensitive user data such as account credentials, personal identification information, and potentially financial transaction details during lottery scratch-off activities. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could intercept and modify communications, potentially redirecting users to fraudulent servers that mimic legitimate lottery services, leading to identity theft, financial fraud, and loss of user trust in the application. This risk is particularly severe given the nature of lottery applications that handle potentially valuable user information.
The security implications extend beyond simple data interception to encompass broader threats to application integrity and user safety. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and represents a failure in the application's secure communication implementation that violates fundamental security controls. The attack vector described in the CVE corresponds to techniques outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1573.001 tactic for "Tunneling" and "Valid Accounts" techniques, where attackers can establish false trust relationships with applications. Organizations should implement proper certificate pinning mechanisms, ensure robust certificate validation routines, and conduct regular security assessments to prevent similar vulnerabilities in mobile applications. The remediation requires updating the application to implement proper SSL certificate validation, including certificate chain verification and trust anchor validation, to establish secure communications with backend services.