CVE-2014-5608 in Line Runner (Free)
Summary
by MITRE
The Line Runner (Free) (aka com.djinnworks.linerunnerfree) application 4 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 • 08/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5608 affects the Line Runner Free Android application version 4, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's cryptographic implementation. This weakness resides in 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 integrity and confidentiality. The vulnerability directly impacts the application's ability to establish secure communication channels with remote servers, fundamentally undermining the security assurances that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide.
The technical flaw manifests as a missing certificate verification mechanism within the application's network communication stack, specifically within the Android application's SSL handling implementation. This omission allows the application to accept any certificate presented by a server without proper validation against trusted certificate authorities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in SSL/TLS implementations, and represents a classic example of a man-in-the-middle attack vector. Attackers can exploit this weakness by presenting a maliciously crafted certificate that appears to be from a legitimate server, thereby enabling them to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive information transmitted between the user's device and the application's backend services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it creates a complete breakdown in the application's security model. Users of the Line Runner Free application become vulnerable to various attack scenarios including credential theft, session hijacking, and data manipulation. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a mobile application that likely handles user preferences, game progress, or potentially user account information. Attackers can leverage this weakness to impersonate legitimate servers and redirect users to malicious endpoints, potentially leading to further exploitation through phishing attacks or malware distribution. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1041 technique for "Exfiltration Over Command and Control Channel" and T1566 for "Phishing", as the compromised application can serve as a delivery mechanism for additional malicious payloads.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's SSL handling code. Developers must ensure that the application validates certificate chains against trusted root certificates, checks certificate expiration dates, and verifies certificate subject names match the target server. The fix should implement certificate pinning where appropriate, as outlined in industry best practices for mobile application security. Additionally, the application should be updated to use modern SSL/TLS protocol versions and cipher suites that provide adequate cryptographic protection. Security reviews should be conducted to ensure all network communications properly validate certificates, and the application should be retested to confirm that the vulnerability has been resolved. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain updated security policies that address certificate validation requirements for mobile applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to established security frameworks such as the OWASP Mobile Security Project guidelines for proper SSL/TLS implementation in mobile environments.