CVE-2014-5694 in Scoutmob Local Deals! Event
Summary
by MITRE
The Scoutmob local deals & events (aka com.scoutmob.ile) application 3.0.18 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 • 08/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5694 affects the Scoutmob local deals & events Android application version 3.0.18, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise user data integrity and confidentiality. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification mechanism that should ensure secure communication channels between the mobile application and remote servers.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's implementation of SSL/TLS security protocols where it bypasses the standard certificate validation process that should occur when establishing secure connections. This omission allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The application accepts any certificate without proper verification of the certificate authority, expiration dates, or domain name matching, which violates fundamental security principles of secure communication. This weakness directly corresponds to CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and represents a critical failure in the application's cryptographic implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to not only eavesdrop on communications but also to actively modify data in transit. Users of the Scoutmob application become susceptible to various attack vectors including credential theft, session hijacking, and the injection of malicious content into the application's communication channels. The vulnerability affects all users who interact with the application's network services, potentially compromising sensitive personal information, location data, and any other data transmitted through the insecure communication channels. This flaw particularly threatens users in public Wi-Fi environments where man-in-the-middle attacks are more prevalent and easier to execute.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate verification mechanisms within the application's security architecture. Developers should implement certificate pinning to ensure that only specific certificates or certificate authorities are accepted, thereby preventing attackers from using forged certificates. The application must be updated to perform comprehensive X.509 certificate validation including checking certificate authority signatures, expiration dates, and domain name matching against the expected server names. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level security controls such as SSL inspection and monitoring for suspicious certificate usage patterns. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046, which describes the use of man-in-the-middle attacks to intercept and manipulate communications, and represents a fundamental failure in the application's security posture that requires immediate remediation to protect user data integrity and maintain trust in the application's security model.