CVE-2014-5726 in Security Service myBranch App
Summary
by MITRE
The Security Service myBranch App (aka com.tyfone.ssfcu.mbanking) application 7.88.00.145 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 vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5726 affects the myBranch mobile banking application version 7.88.00.145 for Android devices, 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 attack surface that compromises the integrity of secure communications between the mobile client and banking servers. The vulnerability directly impacts the application's ability to establish trust with legitimate servers while simultaneously enabling malicious actors to exploit the communication channel through man-in-the-middle attacks.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's certificate verification process, which should normally validate the authenticity of SSL certificates against trusted Certificate Authorities. Instead, the myBranch application accepts any certificate presented by a server without proper validation, allowing attackers to generate and present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This weakness falls under the broader category of improper certificate validation as classified by CWE-295, which specifically addresses the failure to validate certificates in secure communications. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it undermines the fundamental security principle of certificate-based authentication that protects against unauthorized access and data interception.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete compromise of the mobile banking environment. Attackers can intercept and modify sensitive financial transactions, steal user credentials, and access confidential account information through the unvalidated SSL connections. This threat is particularly severe in mobile banking contexts where users expect end-to-end encryption and server authentication. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform session hijacking, transaction manipulation, and credential harvesting attacks, all while maintaining the appearance of legitimate communication between the user and the banking server. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1046 for network service scanning and T1566 for credential harvesting through man-in-the-middle techniques.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-5726 require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the mobile application. Organizations should enforce strict certificate pinning practices, implement certificate trust validation against established Certificate Authorities, and deploy robust SSL/TLS configuration policies. The application must validate certificate chains, check certificate expiration dates, and verify certificate signatures against trusted roots. Security patches should include proper certificate verification routines that align with industry standards such as RFC 5280 for X.509 certificate validation. Additionally, implementing certificate transparency measures and monitoring for unauthorized certificate issuance can help detect potential attacks. Organizations should also consider deploying network-level security controls including intrusion detection systems and SSL inspection capabilities to monitor for suspicious certificate usage patterns and prevent exploitation of this vulnerability in production environments.