CVE-2014-5935 in Daily Free App @ Amazon
Summary
by MITRE
The Daily Free App @ Amazon (aka com.kattanweb.android.dfaa) application 1.5.2 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 • 09/07/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5935 resides within the Daily Free App @ Amazon application version 1.5.2 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communications. This weakness specifically targets the application's SSL/TLS certificate verification mechanism, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the trust relationship between the mobile application and remote servers. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates, which are fundamental cryptographic certificates used to establish secure connections over the internet. When an application does not verify these certificates, it essentially removes a critical security control that ensures the authenticity and integrity of communications between the client and server components.
The technical implementation flaw in this Android application demonstrates a classic case of insufficient certificate validation, which can be categorized under CWE-295 - Improper Certificate Validation. This weakness allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting a maliciously crafted certificate that appears to be from a legitimate server. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it affects the fundamental security principle of authentication, enabling adversaries to establish fraudulent connections while the application believes it is communicating with legitimate services. The application's failure to implement proper certificate pinning or validation mechanisms creates an environment where attackers can intercept, modify, or redirect communications without detection, potentially accessing sensitive user data, session tokens, or other confidential information exchanged between the mobile client and backend services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the security posture of any user who employs this application. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, steal personal information, manipulate application functionality, or conduct further reconnaissance on the underlying infrastructure. The vulnerability affects all users of the specific application version, creating a widespread security risk that persists until the application is updated to properly implement certificate validation. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041 - Exfiltration Over C2 Channel, where adversaries leverage compromised applications to establish persistent communication channels for data theft. The vulnerability also relates to T1566 - Phishing with Spoofed Digital Certificates, as attackers can effectively spoof legitimate certificates to gain trust from the vulnerable application.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from both application developers and users. Application developers must implement proper SSL/TLS certificate validation by incorporating certificate pinning mechanisms, ensuring that the application only accepts certificates from trusted Certificate Authorities, and implementing robust certificate chain validation. The solution involves updating the application to verify certificate fingerprints, implement certificate revocation checking, and establish proper trust stores for validating server certificates. Users should be advised to avoid using the vulnerable application version until patches are released and to consider alternative applications that properly implement secure communication protocols. Security professionals should monitor for any indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and consider implementing network-based detection measures to identify potential man-in-the-middle attacks targeting this specific weakness. Additionally, organizations should conduct security assessments to identify other applications that may be affected by similar certificate validation flaws, as this represents a common pattern in mobile application security vulnerabilities that requires systematic remediation across the software development lifecycle.