CVE-2014-5723 in Trapster
Summary
by MITRE
The Trapster (aka com.trapster.android) application 4.3.2 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 • 08/30/2024
The Trapster Android application version 4.3.2 contains a critical security flaw in its implementation of SSL/TLS certificate verification mechanisms. This vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure communications. The flaw represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's cryptographic security posture, creating an exploitable condition that directly violates industry best practices for secure mobile application development. According to the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, this vulnerability maps to CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications. The absence of proper certificate verification creates a pathway for malicious actors to establish fraudulent secure connections with the application.
The technical implementation flaw manifests when the application establishes SSL connections to remote servers without performing the necessary certificate chain validation steps. This includes failing to verify certificate signatures, validate certificate authorities, check certificate expiration dates, and ensure proper hostname matching. Attackers can exploit this weakness by presenting a maliciously crafted certificate that appears to be from a legitimate server, thereby bypassing the application's security controls. The vulnerability operates at the transport layer security level, specifically targeting the SSL/TLS handshake process where certificate validation should occur. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041 which describes techniques for establishing secure communication channels with compromised systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for users of the Trapster application. Attackers can conduct man-in-the-middle attacks to intercept and potentially modify communications between the application and its backend servers. This creates opportunities for credential theft, data exfiltration, and session hijacking attacks that could compromise user accounts and sensitive information stored within the application. The vulnerability affects all users who rely on the application for secure communications, particularly those accessing sensitive data or performing authenticated operations. The risk is exacerbated by the fact that the application's security controls are entirely bypassed without any indication to the user that their connection has been compromised, making detection extremely difficult. This flaw essentially renders the application's security measures ineffective against active network-based attacks, creating a false sense of security for users who trust the application to maintain secure communications. Organizations relying on this application for business-critical operations face significant exposure to data breaches and compliance violations, as the vulnerability directly undermines the confidentiality and integrity guarantees that secure communications are intended to provide.