CVE-2014-5914 in Cep Subesi
Summary
by MITRE
The Finansbank Cep Subesi (aka com.finansbank.mobile.cepsube) application 1.1.5 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-2014-5914 affects the Finansbank Cep Subesi mobile banking application version 1.1.5 for Android platforms. This represents a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols, specifically targeting the SSL/TLS certificate verification mechanism that is fundamental to establishing trust between mobile banking clients and financial servers. The absence of proper certificate validation creates a severe attack vector that undermines the entire security architecture of the mobile banking solution.
This vulnerability stems from the application's failure to implement proper X.509 certificate validation during SSL handshakes, which directly violates established security practices for mobile financial applications. The flaw allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. This weakness is classified as a certificate verification failure under CWE-295, which specifically addresses the improper validation of certificate authorities and certificate chains. The application's inability to verify certificate signatures, expiration dates, and trust anchors creates an environment where malicious actors can intercept and manipulate communications without detection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data interception, as it enables comprehensive attack scenarios that could compromise entire financial transactions and user accounts. Attackers can exploit this weakness to capture sensitive banking information including account numbers, transaction details, and authentication credentials during communication sessions. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of financial data flows, potentially enabling unauthorized fund transfers, account takeovers, and identity theft. According to ATT&CK framework, this represents a technique categorized under T1046 Network Service Scanning and T1566 Phishing, as attackers can leverage the compromised trust relationship to conduct sophisticated social engineering campaigns.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly severe given the nature of mobile banking applications and their handling of highly sensitive financial information. The lack of certificate verification means that users cannot trust the authenticity of the servers they are communicating with, effectively nullifying the security assurances that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide. This vulnerability directly violates industry standards such as those specified in NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and the OWASP Mobile Security Project's M3 category regarding insecure communication. Organizations implementing mobile banking solutions must ensure robust certificate validation mechanisms that include proper certificate pinning, trust anchor verification, and certificate chain validation to prevent such attacks from succeeding.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of certificate pinning mechanisms, proper X.509 certificate validation routines, and comprehensive security testing of all SSL/TLS implementations within mobile applications. The application should be updated to verify certificate signatures against trusted certificate authorities, validate certificate expiration dates, and implement certificate chain validation procedures. Security patches must include proper certificate verification logic that aligns with industry best practices and regulatory requirements for financial services applications. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect and alert on suspicious certificate behavior and establish comprehensive incident response procedures to address potential exploitation of this vulnerability.