CVE-2014-5661 in Anger of Stick 3
Summary
by MITRE
The Anger of Stick 3 (aka com.miniclip.angerofstick3) application 1.0.3 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 • 08/28/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5661 affects the Anger of Stick 3 mobile application version 1.0.3 for the android platform. This represents a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols, specifically within its handling of SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanisms. The application fails to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by remote servers during secure connections, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise the integrity of network communications.
This technical weakness stems from improper certificate verification implementation within the application's cryptographic security layer. The vulnerability directly relates to CWE-295 which defines issues involving improper certificate validation in secure communications. When an application does not verify SSL certificates properly, it essentially disables the fundamental security mechanism designed to ensure that clients are communicating with legitimate servers. The absence of certificate pinning or proper validation routines allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it enables attackers to intercept and manipulate communications between the mobile application and its backend servers. An attacker positioned between the user's device and the server can present a malicious certificate that the application accepts without proper validation. This compromise allows the attacker to decrypt and potentially modify sensitive data transmitted between the application and server, including user credentials, personal information, or any other data exchanged over secure connections. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of communications, undermining the trust model that secure mobile applications should maintain.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which involves network service scanning and T1566 which covers credential harvesting through social engineering or network attacks. The attack vector specifically enables network-based attacks where adversaries can establish unauthorized communication channels. Organizations and developers should consider implementing certificate pinning mechanisms as a mitigation strategy, ensuring that applications only accept specific certificates or certificate authorities. Additionally, regular security audits of mobile applications should include thorough examination of cryptographic implementation practices to identify similar certificate validation weaknesses. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper SSL/TLS implementation in mobile applications and serves as a reminder that insecure communication protocols can lead to complete compromise of sensitive user data and application integrity.