CVE-2014-5571 in Poker
Summary
by MITRE
The Appeak Poker (aka com.appeak.poker) application 2.4.5 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-2014-5571 affects the Appeak Poker application version 2.4.5 for Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification mechanism that should ensure the authenticity and trustworthiness of SSL servers before establishing secure communication channels.
The technical flaw manifests as a missing certificate validation step within the application's SSL implementation, which falls under the CWE-295 category of "Improper Certificate Validation" according to the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. This weakness allows the application to accept any SSL certificate presented by a server without proper verification against trusted certificate authorities, effectively disabling the fundamental security mechanism designed to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. The application's failure to implement proper certificate pinning or validation creates an environment where attackers can generate or obtain fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application.
Operationally, this vulnerability exposes users to severe security risks including data interception, credential theft, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Attackers can exploit this weakness by positioning themselves between the user and the legitimate server, presenting a forged certificate that the application accepts without question. This allows them to decrypt and manipulate communications between the user and the poker application servers, potentially accessing user account credentials, personal information, financial data, and other sensitive details. The impact extends beyond individual user privacy concerns to potential financial fraud and identity theft scenarios that could affect the application's reputation and user trust.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application, including certificate pinning techniques that restrict accepted certificates to specific trusted authorities. Security measures should also encompass regular security audits of SSL/TLS implementations, adherence to industry best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project, and comprehensive testing of secure communication channels. The application should be updated to verify certificate chains against trusted root certificates, implement certificate transparency checks, and potentially incorporate additional security layers such as certificate stapling to prevent attackers from presenting invalid certificates. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous certificate behavior and establish incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts.