CVE-2014-5913 in Allies in War
Summary
by MITRE
The Allies in War (aka com.gamelion.aiw) application 1.3.2 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 • 09/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5913 affects the Allies in War mobile application version 1.3.2 for Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's cryptographic implementation. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack vector that undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by secure communication protocols. The vulnerability directly impacts the application's ability to establish trust with remote servers, leaving users exposed to sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise sensitive data transmission.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's certificate validation process, where the mobile app fails to implement proper certificate pinning or verification mechanisms that are essential for maintaining secure communications. This allows attackers to intercept communications between the mobile application and its backend servers by presenting maliciously crafted SSL certificates that appear legitimate to the application. The vulnerability essentially disables the certificate chain validation that should occur during SSL handshakes, enabling attackers to establish fraudulent connections that appear authentic to the end-user application. This flaw aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to manipulate application communications and potentially access sensitive user information, including personal data, authentication credentials, and potentially financial information. Mobile applications that rely on secure communications for user authentication, data synchronization, or transaction processing become particularly vulnerable when they fail to properly validate server certificates. The implications are severe because mobile applications often handle highly sensitive information and operate in environments where network traffic interception is relatively common, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in real-world scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms, including certificate pinning to specific trusted certificates or certificate authorities. The application should be updated to perform comprehensive certificate chain validation, ensuring that certificates are properly signed by trusted authorities and that certificate expiration dates are properly checked. Security measures should also incorporate the use of secure communication libraries that properly handle SSL/TLS certificate validation, and developers should implement proper error handling for certificate validation failures. Additionally, network administrators should consider implementing network-level security controls to detect and prevent man-in-the-middle attacks, while the application should be updated to use modern secure communication protocols that properly enforce certificate validation. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1046 which covers network service scanning and T1566 which addresses credential harvesting through social engineering and network attacks.