CVE-2014-5774 in Web Browser
Summary
by MITRE
The Web Browser & Explorer (aka internetexplorer.browser.webexplorer) application 4 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-2014-5774 affects the Web Browser & Explorer application version 4 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the mobile platform's handling of secure communications. This weakness resides in the application's failure to properly validate X.509 digital certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process that should occur when establishing secure connections between mobile browsers and web servers, fundamentally undermining the cryptographic security measures designed to protect sensitive information transmission.
The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of certificate validation mechanisms within the affected Android application, allowing malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks without detection. When users navigate to secure websites using the vulnerable browser, the application accepts any certificate presented by the server regardless of its authenticity or trustworthiness. This failure directly violates established security protocols and standards, as the application should validate certificate chains against trusted certificate authorities and verify domain name matches. The vulnerability enables attackers to generate and present crafted certificates that appear legitimate to the browser, effectively bypassing the security layer that should protect users from impersonation attacks and data interception.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass comprehensive system compromise and privacy violations. Mobile users connecting to web services through the affected browser become vulnerable to various attack vectors including credential theft, session hijacking, and sensitive data interception. The vulnerability particularly affects users accessing banking, email, and other sensitive services that rely on SSL/TLS encryption for protection. Attackers can exploit this weakness to monitor all communications between the mobile device and web servers, potentially capturing login credentials, personal information, financial data, and other confidential materials. The implications are severe given the widespread use of mobile browsers for accessing critical services and the typically less secure nature of mobile device environments.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and represents a clear violation of the fundamental security principle that certificates must be validated before establishing trust in secure communications. The attack pattern corresponds to techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under T1071.004 for application layer protocol: DNS and T1566 for credential access through various methods. Organizations and users should immediately implement mitigations including updating to patched versions of the browser application, implementing network monitoring to detect suspicious certificate behavior, and considering the use of alternative browsers that properly validate certificates. Additionally, network administrators should deploy certificate transparency monitoring and consider implementing additional security layers such as proxy solutions that can validate certificates independently of the mobile application's flawed implementation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper certificate validation in mobile security implementations and serves as a reminder of the potential consequences when cryptographic security mechanisms fail in consumer applications.