CVE-2014-5854 in Windows Live Hotmail PUSH mail
Summary
by MITRE
The Windows Live Hotmail PUSH mail (aka com.clearhub.wl) application 1.00.97 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 • 09/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5854 affects the Windows Live Hotmail PUSH mail application version 1.00.97 on Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in certificate validation mechanisms. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly verify X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise user communications. The flaw specifically targets the mobile application's network security implementation, where the absence of proper certificate pinning or validation allows malicious actors to establish fraudulent connections with the mail service.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols. The application's failure to validate SSL certificates means that it cannot distinguish between legitimate servers and malicious impostors, making it susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks. Attackers can generate or obtain fraudulent certificates that appear valid to the application, enabling them to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive email communications between users and the Hotmail servers. This weakness directly violates fundamental security principles of secure communication and trust establishment in mobile applications.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability exposes users to substantial risk of credential theft, email content interception, and potential identity spoofing attacks. Mobile users accessing their Hotmail accounts through this vulnerable application face the risk of having their private communications compromised, including personal messages, business correspondence, and potentially sensitive data that could be used for financial fraud or social engineering attacks. The impact extends beyond individual users to organizational security, as compromised email accounts can serve as entry points for broader network infiltration attempts.
The attack vector for this vulnerability follows standard MITM attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically targeting the credential access and initial access phases. Attackers can leverage this weakness by positioning themselves between the mobile device and the mail server, intercepting communications and presenting forged certificates that the vulnerable application accepts without proper verification. This allows for continuous monitoring of email traffic, potential password harvesting, and unauthorized access to user accounts. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their mobile device security posture assessment and implement appropriate network monitoring to detect such attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate application updates from the vendor to implement proper certificate validation, deployment of network-based security controls such as SSL inspection and certificate pinning policies, and user education regarding secure email practices. Organizations should also consider implementing mobile device management solutions that can enforce security policies and ensure application updates are deployed promptly. The fix should address the core issue by implementing proper X.509 certificate validation, including certificate chain verification, expiration checking, and hostname validation to prevent attackers from successfully spoofing legitimate mail servers.