CVE-2014-5867 in Capital One Spark
Summary
by MITRE
The Capital One Spark Pay (aka com.capitalone.sparkpay) application 0.9.81 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.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5867 affects the Capital One Spark Pay mobile application version 0.9.81 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the application's cryptographic implementation. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The flaw fundamentally undermines the security of communications between the mobile application and backend servers, potentially exposing sensitive financial information to unauthorized parties.
This vulnerability represents a classic implementation flaw in certificate validation mechanisms, classified under CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation. The application's failure to verify SSL certificates means it accepts any certificate presented by a server without proper authentication, making it susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks where attackers can establish fraudulent connections and intercept or manipulate data transmission. The absence of certificate pinning or proper validation routines creates an environment where malicious actors can generate and present crafted certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application, thereby bypassing the entire SSL/TLS security framework designed to protect communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to conduct sophisticated attacks that can compromise user accounts, financial transactions, and personal information. Mobile banking and payment applications like Spark Pay handle highly sensitive data including account credentials, transaction details, and personal identification information, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous. Attackers exploiting this flaw could potentially redirect users to malicious servers, capture authentication tokens, or modify transaction data in transit, all while the application remains oblivious to the compromised connection. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041 which describes data compression and encryption techniques used to evade detection and maintain persistence.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address the fundamental flaw in certificate validation within the mobile application. Organizations should implement proper certificate pinning mechanisms that validate certificates against known good certificates or public key fingerprints, rather than accepting any certificate from a server. The application should enforce strict certificate validation procedures including checking certificate authorities, expiration dates, and subject alternative names against expected values. Additionally, implementing certificate transparency checks and regular security audits of cryptographic implementations can help identify similar vulnerabilities in other components. The remediation approach should follow industry standards such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and SSL/TLS implementation best practices, ensuring that mobile applications maintain robust security posture against man-in-the-middle attacks and cryptographic vulnerabilities that could compromise user data and financial transactions.