CVE-2014-5671 in Super Stickman Golf
Summary
by MITRE
The Super Stickman Golf (aka com.noodlecake.ssg) application 2.2 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-2014-5671 affects the Super Stickman Golf mobile application version 2.2 for Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's network communication security model. This issue manifests as a failure to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates during secure communication with remote servers, creating a significant exposure that undermines the fundamental security guarantees of encrypted network connections. The application's insecure certificate validation mechanism leaves users vulnerable to sophisticated man-in-the-middle attack scenarios where malicious actors can intercept and manipulate sensitive data transmitted between the mobile application and its backend services.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper implementation of SSL certificate verification within the Android application's network stack. When the application establishes secure connections to remote servers, it fails to validate the X.509 certificates presented by these servers against trusted certificate authorities. This flaw aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses the improper certificate validation issue in security protocols. The application essentially accepts any certificate presented by a server, regardless of its authenticity or trustworthiness, effectively nullifying the cryptographic security measures designed to protect data integrity and confidentiality during transmission.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, encompassing a comprehensive range of security threats that could compromise user privacy and system integrity. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform man-in-the-middle attacks, where they position themselves between the mobile application and legitimate servers to capture sensitive user information including personal data, authentication credentials, and potentially financial information. This vulnerability particularly affects applications that handle user accounts, payment processing, or personal identifiable information, as the lack of certificate verification creates an open avenue for attackers to establish fraudulent communication channels that appear legitimate to the end-user. The implications are especially severe given that mobile applications often handle sensitive personal data and financial transactions that require robust security protections.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms within the application's network communication framework. The recommended approach involves configuring the application to perform comprehensive certificate chain validation, including verification against trusted certificate authorities, proper hostname checking, and implementation of certificate pinning where appropriate. Organizations should implement certificate validation routines that align with industry best practices and security standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project recommendations for secure communication. Additionally, the application should be updated to enforce strict certificate validation policies that reject certificates that fail validation checks, and developers should consider implementing certificate pinning to further strengthen the security posture against certificate-based attacks. The fix should also include monitoring and logging mechanisms to detect potential certificate validation failures and alert security teams to potential security incidents. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications and highlights the necessity of adhering to established security frameworks and standards to prevent exploitation by malicious actors.