CVE-2014-5879 in tvguide
Summary
by MITRE
The tvguide (aka kenneth.tvguide) application 1.9.14 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 • 09/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5879 affects the tvguide application version 1.9.14 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant pathway for malicious actors to compromise the security of data transmission between the mobile application and remote servers. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process that is fundamental to establishing trust in secure communications.
The technical flaw manifests as a missing implementation of certificate pinning or proper certificate validation mechanisms within the Android application's networking stack. When applications communicate over HTTPS, they should verify that the server's certificate is issued by a trusted Certificate Authority and that it matches the expected hostname. In this case, the tvguide application accepts any certificate presented by a server, regardless of its authenticity or trustworthiness. This omission allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting a maliciously crafted certificate that appears legitimate to the application, thereby enabling them to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive data transmitted between the user's device and the server.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of the application and exposes users to various forms of attack. An attacker positioned between the user's device and the server can transparently intercept all communications, potentially gaining access to personal information, login credentials, or other sensitive data that the application handles. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects an application that likely handles user preferences, viewing data, or other personal information that users trust to remain secure. This weakness creates an attack surface that aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's T1046 technique for network service scanning and T1566 for credential access through social engineering, as the vulnerability enables attackers to establish persistent access to user data.
From a compliance and security standards perspective, this vulnerability directly violates the principles outlined in CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and represents a failure to implement proper SSL/TLS security measures. The vulnerability also aligns with the OWASP Mobile Top 10's M3 weakness related to insecure communication channels, as the application fails to maintain secure data transmission. Organizations and developers should address this issue by implementing proper certificate validation, including certificate pinning, hostname verification, and the use of trusted certificate authorities. The recommended mitigations include updating the application to verify certificates against a known set of trusted CAs, implementing certificate pinning to prevent the use of unauthorized certificates, and ensuring that all network communications follow secure protocols with proper validation mechanisms in place. This vulnerability serves as a stark reminder of the importance of proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications and the critical need for security testing throughout the software development lifecycle to prevent such fundamental flaws from reaching production environments.