CVE-2014-5672 in NQ Mobile Security
Summary
by MITRE
The NQ Mobile Security & Antivirus (aka com.nqmobile.antivirus20) application 7.2.16.00 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-2014-5672 affects the NQ Mobile Security & Antivirus Android application version 7.2.16.00, representing a critical flaw in the application's secure communication protocols. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant security gap that adversaries can exploit to compromise the integrity of encrypted communications between the mobile device and remote servers. The vulnerability specifically impacts the application's certificate verification mechanism, which is fundamental to establishing trust in secure network communications.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's improper implementation of SSL certificate validation processes, where the security software fails to perform essential certificate checks including hostname validation, certificate chain verification, and trust anchor validation. This omission allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The certificate validation process typically involves verifying the certificate's signature against trusted Certificate Authority roots, checking certificate expiration dates, and ensuring the certificate's subject matches the target server's domain name. When these validations are bypassed, attackers can intercept and manipulate encrypted communications without detection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it undermines the fundamental security assurances that users expect from mobile security applications. Since the application itself is designed to protect users from malware and security threats, its failure to properly validate certificates creates a false sense of security while simultaneously exposing users to sophisticated attacks. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to access sensitive user data, including personal information, financial details, and potentially corporate data that flows through the compromised application. The vulnerability affects all users of the specific application version, making it a widespread concern that could impact thousands of mobile devices simultaneously.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices outlined in industry security standards. The flaw also corresponds to techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the "Credential Access" and "Initial Access" domains, where attackers exploit weak certificate validation to gain unauthorized access to systems and data. Organizations implementing mobile security solutions must understand that security applications themselves can contain vulnerabilities that undermine their protective capabilities, as demonstrated by this case where the antivirus software becomes a vector for attack rather than a protective barrier. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper certificate validation in all security software implementations, regardless of their intended protective function.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate application updates from the vendor to implement proper certificate validation mechanisms. Users should ensure they update to the latest version of the application where certificate validation has been properly implemented and tested. Network administrators should monitor for potential exploitation attempts and implement additional security controls such as network traffic inspection and anomaly detection systems. The fix should include comprehensive certificate validation that verifies certificate signatures, checks certificate expiration dates, validates hostname matches, and ensures certificates are issued by trusted Certificate Authorities. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate pinning techniques as an additional layer of protection against certificate-based attacks, particularly in environments where mobile security applications handle sensitive data.