CVE-2014-5737 in CDsoft
Summary
by MITRE
The CDsoft (aka com.wCDSOFT) application 0.2 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 vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5737 represents a critical security flaw in the CDsoft Android application version 0.2 that fundamentally undermines the integrity of secure communications. This weakness resides in 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 and system security. The vulnerability directly impacts the application's ability to establish trust with remote servers, effectively removing one of the most fundamental security mechanisms in modern network communications.
The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of certificate verification within the application's SSL implementation, which falls under the CWE-295 vulnerability category known as "Improper Certificate Validation." This weakness allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. The vulnerability operates at the transport layer security level where applications should enforce strict certificate validation policies including checking certificate authorities, expiration dates, and domain name matches against the server being connected to. Without these validations, the application accepts any certificate presented by an attacker, making it trivial for threat actors to intercept and manipulate communications between the mobile device and backend servers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to encompass comprehensive system compromise and data exfiltration capabilities. Attackers can exploit this weakness to access sensitive user information including personal data, authentication credentials, financial information, and proprietary business data that flows through the vulnerable application. The vulnerability affects all users of the CDsoft application, creating a widespread security risk that could be exploited across various threat scenarios including public Wi-Fi network attacks, compromised network infrastructure, or targeted campaigns against specific user groups. This weakness essentially nullifies the security assurances that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide, leaving users exposed to sophisticated attack vectors that would normally be prevented by proper certificate validation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-5737 require immediate remediation efforts including implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms that conform to industry standards such as those specified in the NIST SP 800-57 and RFC 5280. The application must be updated to enforce strict certificate chain validation, including checking certificate authorities, verifying certificate expiration dates, and ensuring domain name alignment between the certificate and the target server. Security controls should include implementing certificate pinning where appropriate, establishing proper trust store management, and ensuring that all SSL/TLS connections undergo rigorous verification before establishing secure communication channels. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect potential man-in-the-middle attacks and establish incident response procedures to address potential exploitation of this vulnerability. The remediation process must align with ATT&CK framework tactics related to credential access and defense evasion, as this vulnerability enables attackers to bypass security controls and maintain persistent access to compromised systems.