CVE-2014-5753 in Twitter No Background
Summary
by MITRE
The Twitter No Background (aka com.wTwitternobackground) application 0.85.13509.97828 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 • 08/31/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5753 affects the Twitter No Background Android application version 0.85.13509.97828, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack vector that compromises the integrity of network communications. The vulnerability directly impacts the application's ability to establish trust with remote servers, undermining the fundamental security mechanisms designed to protect user data and maintain secure communication channels.
The technical flaw manifests as a failure to perform certificate verification during SSL handshakes, which is a core security control implemented by the TLS protocol. This omission allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The certificate validation process typically involves checking certificate signatures against trusted certificate authorities, verifying certificate expiration dates, and ensuring proper certificate chains. When these checks are bypassed, malicious actors can intercept and manipulate communications between the Android application and its intended servers, potentially gaining access to sensitive user information including personal data, authentication credentials, and private communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to establish false trust relationships with the application. This weakness can result in the compromise of user accounts, unauthorized access to personal information, and potential data exfiltration from the device. The vulnerability affects all users of the specific application version, creating a widespread security risk across the user base. Attackers can exploit this flaw without requiring special privileges or complex attack vectors, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by threat actors with minimal technical expertise. The compromised communication channels can facilitate various malicious activities including credential theft, session hijacking, and data manipulation.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses the improper certificate validation issue. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1566, representing the use of credential dumping and network sniffing techniques to compromise secure communications. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical failure in the application's security architecture, as proper certificate validation is a fundamental requirement for maintaining secure network communications. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of the application, implementing network monitoring to detect suspicious certificate behavior, and potentially deploying additional security controls such as certificate pinning to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other applications.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the importance of proper SSL/TLS implementation in mobile applications and underscore the need for comprehensive security testing during the development lifecycle. Mobile applications must implement robust certificate validation mechanisms to protect users from man-in-the-middle attacks, particularly when handling sensitive information. The vulnerability serves as a reminder that even seemingly minor security oversights can have significant consequences, as the absence of certificate verification creates an open door for attackers to compromise user data and system integrity. Security professionals should prioritize certificate validation testing and implement automated security controls to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future application releases.