CVE-2014-5630 in Home Repair
Summary
by MITRE
The Home Repair (aka com.gcspublishing.houserepairtalk) application 3.7.9 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-2014-5630 affects the Home Repair application version 3.7.9 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 vector that compromises the integrity of data transmission between the mobile client and remote servers. The vulnerability directly impacts the application's ability to establish trust relationships with backend services, leaving users exposed to potential data interception and manipulation attacks.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's SSL certificate validation mechanism, which operates outside of established security best practices and industry standards. When the application establishes secure connections to remote servers, it fails to perform proper certificate chain validation, hostname verification, or trust anchor checking that are fundamental requirements for secure SSL/TLS communication. This weakness allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application, effectively bypassing the security measures designed to protect sensitive data transmission.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for users of the Home Repair application, as it enables attackers to intercept and potentially modify sensitive information transmitted between the mobile device and application servers. The implications extend beyond simple data theft to include potential financial fraud, identity theft, and unauthorized access to personal information that users may have shared through the application's secure channels. The vulnerability is particularly concerning given that the application handles sensitive user data related to home repair services and potentially personal information.
The attack surface for this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1041, where adversaries use network sniffing to capture traffic, and T1573, which involves establishing secure communication channels to exfiltrate data. The flaw also corresponds to CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communication protocols. Organizations and developers should recognize this vulnerability as part of broader mobile security concerns, particularly when implementing applications that handle sensitive user data. The issue demonstrates the critical importance of proper certificate validation and the potential consequences of neglecting fundamental security controls in mobile applications.
Recommended mitigations include immediate implementation of proper certificate validation procedures within the application, including certificate pinning mechanisms where appropriate, and comprehensive code review to ensure all SSL/TLS connections properly verify certificate chains and hostnames. The application should be updated to enforce strict certificate validation policies that align with industry standards and security best practices. Additionally, developers should implement monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect potential certificate validation failures or suspicious network activity that may indicate attempted attacks against the application's secure communication channels.