CVE-2014-5745 in FREE Pageplus Activation
Summary
by MITRE
The FREE Pageplus Activation (aka com.wFREEPageplusActivations) application 0.1 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-2014-5745 affects the FREE Pageplus Activation Android application version 0.1, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. This issue resides in the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack vector that undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by cryptographic protocols. The flaw represents a direct violation of established security practices for mobile application development and secure communication implementation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the application's complete absence of certificate verification mechanisms during SSL connections. When the application establishes network communications with remote servers, it fails to perform the essential step of validating the server's X.509 certificate against trusted certificate authorities. This omission allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The flaw specifically impacts the SSL/TLS handshake process, where certificate validation should occur but does not, creating an opening for malicious actors to intercept and manipulate communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to obtain sensitive information through crafted certificates that can masquerade as legitimate servers. Mobile applications that rely on secure communications for authentication, data transmission, or service access become particularly vulnerable when they fail to validate server certificates. This weakness compromises the confidentiality and integrity of data exchanged between the mobile device and backend services, potentially exposing user credentials, personal information, or other sensitive data that flows through the insecure connection channels.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and demonstrates a clear failure to implement proper SSL/TLS certificate validation procedures. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this represents a technique that enables initial access and credential theft through network-based attacks, specifically targeting the application layer security controls that should protect against man-in-the-middle attacks. The vulnerability also relates to the broader category of insecure communication practices that are commonly exploited in mobile application attacks, as outlined in various mobile security frameworks and threat models.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application. Developers must ensure that all SSL/TLS connections validate server certificates against trusted certificate authorities, implement certificate pinning where appropriate, and maintain up-to-date certificate trust stores. The application should enforce certificate chain validation, check certificate expiration dates, and verify certificate subject names against expected server identities. Additionally, security patches should be deployed to update the application to properly handle SSL/TLS connections, and developers should implement comprehensive testing procedures to verify certificate validation functionality before deployment to production environments.