CVE-2014-5742 in Eversnap Private Photo Album
Summary
by MITRE
The Eversnap Private Photo Album (aka com.weddingsnap.android) application 1.0.23 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 CVE-2014-5742 vulnerability affects the Eversnap Private Photo Album Android application version 1.0.23, representing a critical security flaw in the application's SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanism. This vulnerability resides in the application's inability to properly verify X.509 certificates from SSL servers, creating a significant attack surface that exposes users to sophisticated man-in-the-middle exploitation techniques. The flaw fundamentally undermines the security infrastructure that should protect sensitive user data during network communications, particularly when users are accessing their private photo albums over potentially insecure network connections.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to perform proper certificate chain validation and trust verification processes. When the application establishes SSL connections to remote servers, it does not validate the certificate against trusted certificate authorities or perform hostname verification, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This weakness directly violates established security protocols and standards, as the application essentially trusts any certificate presented without performing the mandatory cryptographic verification steps that should occur during SSL handshake procedures. The vulnerability manifests specifically in the application's SSL socket implementation where certificate validation routines are either completely absent or improperly implemented.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, particularly for users storing sensitive personal data in private photo albums. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept and manipulate communications between the application and its servers, potentially gaining access to users' private photographs, personal information, and other sensitive data stored within the application. The man-in-the-middle attack vector allows adversaries to not only eavesdrop on communications but also to inject malicious content or redirect users to fraudulent servers. This vulnerability is especially dangerous in public Wi-Fi environments where network traffic interception is common, making the application particularly vulnerable to attacks in unsecured network conditions. The exposure of user data through this vulnerability could result in privacy violations, identity theft, and other serious security consequences.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a failure to implement proper SSL/TLS security measures. The attack pattern corresponds to techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1046 for network service scanning and T1566 for credential harvesting, as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to obtain sensitive information through compromised communication channels. The vulnerability also falls under the broader category of insecure communication protocols, where the application fails to maintain the confidentiality and integrity guarantees that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide. Security professionals should note that this type of vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper certificate pinning mechanisms and robust cryptographic validation in mobile applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation procedures within the application. The most effective approach involves implementing certificate pinning, where the application explicitly trusts only specific certificates or certificate authorities rather than accepting any valid certificate from any CA. Additionally, the application should perform comprehensive hostname verification during SSL handshakes to ensure that the certificate presented matches the expected server domain. Network security measures such as implementing strict firewall rules and monitoring for unusual certificate validation patterns can provide additional layers of protection. The application developers should also consider implementing certificate revocation checking and regular security audits to identify and address similar vulnerabilities in other cryptographic implementations. Users should be advised to avoid using the application over untrusted networks until the vulnerability is properly patched and updated across all affected versions.