CVE-2014-5890 in KBO sports2i 2014
Summary
by MITRE
The KBO sports2i 2014 (aka com.sports2i) application 5.1.00 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-2014-5890 affects the KBO sports2i 2014 Android application version 5.1.00, representing a critical security flaw in the application's secure communication implementation. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise user data integrity and confidentiality. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process, which is fundamental to establishing trust in secure communications between mobile applications and backend servers.
The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of certificate pinning or proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's SSL implementation. When the sports2i application establishes secure connections to its servers, it fails to perform the necessary cryptographic verification steps that would normally validate the authenticity of server certificates. This omission allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the application, effectively bypassing the security controls designed to protect sensitive user information. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which describes "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a classic example of insufficient certificate validation that undermines the entire SSL/TLS security model.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability exposes users to significant risks including data interception, session hijacking, and unauthorized access to personal information. Attackers can exploit this weakness to capture sensitive data transmitted between the mobile application and servers, potentially including user credentials, personal details, financial information, or other confidential data. The impact extends beyond individual user privacy concerns to potential financial fraud, identity theft, and corporate data breaches, particularly if the application handles sensitive business information. The vulnerability affects the application's ability to maintain secure communication channels, undermining the trust model that users expect from mobile applications that handle sensitive data.
The security implications of CVE-2014-5890 align with several ATT&CK framework techniques, particularly those related to credential access and defense evasion. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access to user accounts and sensitive data while avoiding detection through normal security monitoring. The vulnerability also enables attackers to bypass network security controls that would normally detect malicious traffic, as the forged certificates may appear legitimate to standard network monitoring tools. Organizations using this application should implement immediate mitigations including certificate pinning, proper SSL/TLS configuration, and network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The remediation approach should involve updating the application to implement proper certificate validation mechanisms, potentially through the use of certificate pinning techniques, and ensuring that all SSL/TLS connections perform thorough certificate verification before establishing secure communication channels.