CVE-2014-5620 in Office Jerk Free
Summary
by MITRE
The Office Jerk Free (aka com.fluik.OfficeJerkFree) application 1.7.13 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 • 08/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5620 affects the Office Jerk Free Android application version 1.7.13, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's SSL/TLS certificate verification mechanism. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure communication sessions. The absence of certificate validation creates a significant attack surface that enables malicious actors to execute man-in-the-middle attacks against unsuspecting users. When an attacker successfully intercepts communication between the vulnerable application and its intended server, they can present a crafted certificate that appears legitimate to the application, thereby compromising the integrity and confidentiality of all data exchanged during the session.
This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1573.002 concerning secure channel protocols. The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of certificate pinning or validation logic within the application's network communication stack. The application accepts any certificate presented by the server without performing the necessary checks against trusted certificate authorities or validating certificate properties such as expiration dates, subject names, or digital signatures. This allows attackers to create malicious certificates that match the expected domain names and present them to the application, effectively bypassing the security measures designed to protect against unauthorized access to sensitive information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to gain access to any sensitive information transmitted through the application's secure channels. Users of the Office Jerk Free application may unknowingly transmit personal data, business information, or other confidential materials that could be captured and exploited by threat actors. The vulnerability affects all communication channels within the application that rely on SSL/TLS encryption, potentially compromising user credentials, document contents, or other valuable data. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no special privileges or complex exploitation techniques, making it accessible to attackers with basic knowledge of man-in-the-middle attack methodologies.
Organizations and users should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, including updating to the latest version of the application where certificate validation has been properly implemented. Security administrators should monitor network traffic for signs of man-in-the-middle activity and consider implementing network-based detection measures to identify suspicious certificate exchanges. The application developers must ensure proper implementation of certificate validation mechanisms, including certificate pinning where appropriate, and thorough testing of SSL/TLS connections to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future releases. Additionally, users should avoid using the vulnerable application on untrusted networks and consider using virtual private networks or other secure communication channels when handling sensitive information. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper certificate validation in mobile applications and serves as a reminder of the potential consequences when security controls are inadequately implemented in client-side applications.