CVE-2014-5897 in MMORPG
Summary
by MITRE
The Parallel Mafia MMORPG (aka com.perblue.pm.client) application @7F070000 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 described in CVE-2014-5897 represents a critical security flaw in the Parallel Mafia MMORPG Android application that fundamentally undermines the integrity of secure communications between the client and remote servers. This issue affects the application identified as com.perblue.pm.client running at address 7F070000 and demonstrates a severe failure in the implementation of secure socket layer protocols. The application's inability to properly validate X.509 certificates creates a pathway for malicious actors to execute successful man-in-the-middle attacks against unsuspecting users.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the application's complete absence of certificate validation mechanisms during SSL/TLS handshakes. When the Android application establishes secure connections to remote servers, it fails to perform the essential verification steps required to ensure that the server's certificate is legitimate and issued by a trusted certificate authority. This omission places the application squarely within the category of insecure cryptographic implementations, specifically aligning with CWE-295 which addresses "Improper Certificate Validation." The flaw allows attackers to present forged certificates that appear legitimate to the application, enabling them to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive user data transmitted over the network.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data interception, creating significant risks for user privacy and security within the gaming environment. Users of the Parallel Mafia MMORPG application face potential exposure of their personal information, account credentials, payment details, and other sensitive data that flows through the insecure communication channels. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform session hijacking, redirect users to malicious servers, or inject harmful content into the application's communication streams. This vulnerability particularly affects online multiplayer gaming environments where users regularly transmit authentication tokens, game state information, and personal identifiers that could be compromised through such attacks.
The security implications of CVE-2014-5897 align with several tactics and techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to credential access and defense evasion. The vulnerability enables adversaries to establish persistent access points through the compromised communication channels, potentially allowing them to maintain long-term control over user accounts. From a defensive perspective, this flaw demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper certificate pinning mechanisms and robust cryptographic validation processes in mobile applications. Organizations should implement certificate transparency measures, utilize secure coding practices for network communication, and regularly audit their applications for similar cryptographic weaknesses. The vulnerability also underscores the necessity of following industry standards such as NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and the OWASP Mobile Security Project guidelines for secure mobile application development. Remediation efforts must include implementing proper certificate validation routines, establishing certificate pinning strategies, and conducting thorough security testing to ensure that all network communications are properly secured against man-in-the-middle attacks.