CVE-2014-5887 in Yell Local Search
Summary
by MITRE
The Yell Local Search (aka com.yell.launcher2) application 4.2.1.4 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 • 09/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5887 resides within the Yell Local Search application version 4.2.1.4 for Android platforms, 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 exposure that undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by cryptographic protocols. The vulnerability specifically affects the application's certificate verification mechanism, which is essential for establishing trust between the mobile client and remote servers. When an application neglects to validate SSL certificates, it opens the door for malicious actors to exploit the communication channel through man-in-the-middle attacks.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's improper implementation of SSL certificate validation, which falls under CWE-295, "Improper Certificate Validation." This weakness occurs when an application fails to properly verify the authenticity and integrity of SSL certificates presented by servers during secure connections. The Yell Local Search application's failure to validate certificate chains, issuer information, and cryptographic signatures creates a scenario where attackers can present forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. This allows threat actors to intercept, modify, or redirect communications between the mobile application and its backend services without detection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables comprehensive attack vectors that can compromise user privacy and system integrity. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform session hijacking, steal user credentials, manipulate application data, and potentially gain access to sensitive personal information. The vulnerability particularly affects users who rely on the application for local business searches, as the compromised communication channel could expose their location data, search queries, and potentially personal identifiers. This weakness is categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1046, "Network Service Scanning', and T1566, "Phishing', as it enables attackers to establish persistent surveillance and data exfiltration capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-5887 require immediate attention from both application developers and end-users. The primary remediation involves implementing proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms that verify certificate chains against trusted Certificate Authorities, check certificate expiration dates, and validate domain name matches. Organizations should enforce certificate pinning techniques to prevent the acceptance of unauthorized certificates, while also ensuring that the application's cryptographic libraries are kept current with security patches. Users should avoid using the vulnerable application until a security update is available, and administrators should consider implementing network-level monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications, as highlighted by industry standards such as the OWASP Mobile Top 10 and NIST SP 800-52 guidelines for secure SSL/TLS implementation.