CVE-2014-5662 in Rail Rush
Summary
by MITRE
The Rail Rush (aka com.miniclip.railrush) application 1.9.0 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-2014-5662 affects the Rail Rush mobile application version 1.9.0 for Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's cryptographic implementation. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant pathway for malicious actors to compromise the security of communications between the mobile client and remote servers. The vulnerability directly impacts the integrity of the secure communication channel that should normally be established through proper certificate validation processes.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's SSL certificate verification mechanism, which operates under the principle of trust but fails to implement proper certificate chain validation. When an Android application establishes an SSL connection, it should validate the server certificate against a trusted certificate authority and verify that the certificate matches the domain being accessed. In this case, the Rail Rush application bypasses these essential verification steps, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This weakness enables attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks where they can intercept, modify, or steal sensitive data transmitted between the mobile application and its servers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it undermines the fundamental security assumptions that mobile applications rely on for protecting user information. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can gain access to sensitive user data including personal information, login credentials, and potentially financial details depending on the application's functionality. The vulnerability affects not only the confidentiality of communications but also the integrity and authenticity of data exchanged between the mobile client and backend services. From an attacker's perspective, this represents a low-effort, high-impact method for compromising user security, as the flaw requires no sophisticated techniques beyond certificate manipulation.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this issue under T1046, network service scanning, and T1566, credential harvesting, as attackers can leverage the compromised communication channel to gather sensitive information. The vulnerability also relates to mobile security best practices that emphasize the importance of proper SSL/TLS implementation, including certificate pinning and robust validation of server certificates. Organizations should implement comprehensive security measures including certificate pinning, regular security assessments of mobile applications, and adherence to industry standards such as NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and validation. The remediation process requires developers to implement proper certificate verification mechanisms, ensuring that all SSL connections validate certificates against trusted authorities and implement appropriate certificate pinning strategies to prevent unauthorized certificate acceptance.