CVE-2014-5612 in Gmarket
Summary
by MITRE
The Gmarket (aka com.ebay.kr.gmarket) application 5.1.3 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 • 08/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5612 affects the Gmarket mobile application version 5.1.3 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack vector for malicious actors. The vulnerability directly impacts the integrity of the application's secure communication channel, potentially compromising user data and sensitive transactions conducted through the platform. This flaw exposes users to severe risks when conducting financial activities or sharing personal information within the application environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the application's cryptographic handshake process where SSL certificate validation is either completely omitted or improperly executed. When an Android application establishes a secure connection to a remote server, it should verify the server's X.509 certificate against a trusted certificate authority to ensure the authenticity of the communication endpoint. The Gmarket application fails to perform this critical verification step, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security architecture and violates established secure coding practices for mobile applications. The vulnerability can be classified under CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability creates a severe risk landscape for both users and the application owner. Attackers can exploit this weakness through man-in-the-middle attacks to intercept and potentially modify sensitive data transmitted between the mobile application and backend servers. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential financial fraud, identity theft, and unauthorized access to user accounts. Users conducting transactions, accessing personal information, or submitting sensitive data through the vulnerable application face significant exposure to cyber threats. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that mobile applications often handle highly sensitive personal and financial information, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in the context of e-commerce platforms like Gmarket.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention and comprehensive implementation across multiple layers of security. Application developers must implement proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms that verify certificate chains against trusted root certificates and check certificate expiration dates and domain name matching. This includes implementing certificate pinning techniques to prevent the acceptance of fraudulent certificates even if they are cryptographically valid. Network security measures should complement application-level fixes by implementing additional monitoring and detection capabilities to identify potential man-in-the-middle attacks. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other mobile applications. The remediation process should follow established security frameworks such as those recommended by the OWASP Mobile Security Project and should incorporate defensive coding practices that align with industry standards for secure mobile application development. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications and serves as a reminder of the need for comprehensive security testing throughout the software development lifecycle.