CVE-2014-5629 in Stupid Zombies
Summary
by MITRE
The Stupid Zombies (aka com.gameresort.stupidzombies) application 1.12 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-2014-5629 represents a critical security flaw in the Stupid Zombies Android application version 1.12, specifically targeting the application's approach to SSL/TLS certificate validation. This weakness falls under the broader category of insufficient certificate verification mechanisms, which is classified as CWE-295 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. The application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates creates a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks against unsuspecting users.
The technical implementation flaw stems from the application's complete omission of SSL certificate validation procedures during network communications. When the Android application establishes secure connections to remote servers, it bypasses the standard certificate verification processes that should confirm the authenticity of server certificates against trusted certificate authorities. This vulnerability directly violates established security protocols and best practices for secure communication in mobile applications. The absence of proper certificate pinning or validation means that attackers can present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application, enabling them to intercept and manipulate all data transmitted between the mobile device and the server.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability exposes users to substantial risk of data compromise and privacy violations. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept sensitive information including user credentials, personal data, and potentially financial information transmitted through the application's network connections. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential account takeovers, identity theft, and unauthorized access to user accounts. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in mobile environments where users may connect to unsecured networks, making the attack surface even more expansive. The attack vector aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1041 category for data compression and T1566 for credential access through social engineering, though the specific technical execution relies on network-level interception rather than user interaction.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires immediate implementation of proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms within the application. Developers must integrate standard certificate verification procedures that validate certificate chains against trusted root authorities, implement certificate pinning for critical connections, and ensure that all network communications adhere to established security protocols. The fix should include proper error handling for certificate validation failures and should reject connections when certificate verification fails. Additionally, the application should implement robust logging mechanisms to detect and alert on potential certificate validation issues, which would help in identifying potential attacks. Security audits should be conducted to ensure that all network communications within the application properly validate certificates, and the implementation should be tested against various attack scenarios including certificate spoofing attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect unusual traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of secure coding practices in mobile application development and demonstrates how seemingly simple oversights in security implementation can create substantial risks for end users.