CVE-2014-5743 in Re-Volt 2: Best RC 3D Racing
Summary
by MITRE
The RE-VOLT 2 : Best RC 3D Racing (aka com.wego.revolt2_global) application 1.2.6 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-2014-5743 affects the RE-VOLT 2: Best RC 3D Racing Android application version 1.2.6, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's secure communication implementation. This weakness resides in the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating an exploitable condition that fundamentally undermines the security of data transmission between the mobile client and remote servers. The vulnerability represents a classic example of insufficient certificate validation, where the application accepts any certificate presented by a server without performing the necessary cryptographic verification steps that are essential for establishing trust in secure communications.
The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of certificate chain validation and hostname verification within the application's SSL implementation. When the application establishes connections to remote servers, it does not verify that the presented certificates are issued by trusted certificate authorities, do not have expired validity periods, and properly match the expected server hostnames. This omission creates a man-in-the-middle attack vector where an attacker positioned between the mobile device and the legitimate server can present a maliciously crafted certificate that appears legitimate to the vulnerable application. The attack leverages the fundamental principle of SSL/TLS security where certificate validation ensures that the client is communicating with the intended server and not an imposter.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability exposes users to significant risks including credential theft, session hijacking, and data interception attacks. The compromised application can no longer guarantee the confidentiality and integrity of communications between the mobile device and backend services, potentially allowing attackers to capture sensitive user information, manipulate game data, or redirect users to malicious servers. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential service disruption and reputational damage for the application developers, as users may lose trust in the security of their gaming environment and personal information stored within the application's ecosystem.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a failure in implementing proper SSL/TLS security controls as recommended by industry standards. Security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-52 and OWASP Mobile Security Project emphasize the critical importance of certificate validation in mobile applications, particularly those handling user data or financial transactions. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1566, "Phishing", and T1046, "Network Service Scanning", as attackers can exploit the weak certificate validation to establish unauthorized communication channels. Organizations should implement certificate pinning mechanisms, proper certificate validation routines, and regular security assessments to prevent such vulnerabilities from being exploited in mobile applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation procedures within the application. Developers must ensure that all SSL/TLS connections perform thorough certificate chain validation, including checking certificate expiration dates, verifying certificate signatures against trusted root authorities, and confirming that the presented certificate matches the expected hostname. The application should implement certificate pinning to prevent the acceptance of unauthorized certificates, even if they are cryptographically valid. Additionally, security updates should be deployed immediately to address the flaw, and developers should conduct comprehensive security testing including penetration testing and code reviews to identify similar vulnerabilities in other network communication components. The fix should also include proper error handling for certificate validation failures to ensure that the application terminates connections rather than continuing with untrusted certificates, thereby maintaining the security posture of the mobile application ecosystem.