CVE-2014-5942 in Baby Stomach Surgery
Summary
by MITRE
The Baby Stomach Surgery (aka com.harriskerioe.stomachsurgery) application 1.0.2 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-2014-5942 affects the Baby Stomach Surgery Android application version 1.0.2, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This issue 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 typically provided by secure communication channels.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's certificate verification process where it fails to perform proper validation of SSL server certificates. This weakness allows malicious actors to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting crafted certificates that appear legitimate to the application. The vulnerability directly relates to CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041 for data compression and T1566 for spearphishing with attachments that could exploit this weakness. The application essentially trusts any certificate presented without verifying the certificate chain, issuer, or cryptographic integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it exposes users to potential data interception and theft. Attackers can exploit this weakness to eavesdrop on communications between the mobile application and its backend servers, potentially accessing sensitive user information, personal data, or medical records if the application handles such information. The vulnerability particularly affects the confidentiality and integrity of data transmitted over the network, making it a serious concern for applications handling sensitive information. This weakness creates an environment where attackers can impersonate legitimate servers and gain unauthorized access to data that should remain protected.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application. The fix involves implementing robust certificate pinning techniques, ensuring that the application validates certificate chains against trusted root authorities, and verifying certificate signatures and expiration dates. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate transparency measures and regularly updating their certificate validation libraries. This remediation addresses the core issue identified in CWE-295 and aligns with security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and the OWASP Mobile Top 10 for secure communication in mobile applications. The solution must ensure that all SSL/TLS connections properly validate server certificates before establishing secure communication channels.