CVE-2014-5961 in russiananime
Summary
by MITRE
The russiananime (aka com.rareartifact.russiananime68A5CCFE) application 1 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.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5961 affects the russiananime Android application version 1, which demonstrates a critical flaw in its secure communication implementation. This application fails to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant security gap that exposes users to man-in-the-middle attacks. The flaw resides in the application's certificate verification mechanism, which should enforce proper certificate chain validation but instead accepts any certificate presented by a server, regardless of its authenticity or trustworthiness.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper SSL certificate validation within the application's network communication layer. When the application establishes secure connections to remote servers, it should verify the server's certificate against trusted certificate authorities and ensure proper certificate chain validation. However, the russiananime application bypasses these critical security checks, allowing attackers to present malicious certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This weakness directly violates established security protocols and compromises the integrity of encrypted communications between the mobile device and remote servers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial, as it enables attackers to intercept and potentially modify sensitive data transmitted between the application and its servers. An attacker positioned between the Android device and the target server can present a forged certificate that the application accepts without proper verification. This scenario allows for credential theft, data exfiltration, and potential command execution within the application's operational context. The vulnerability affects any sensitive information processed by the application, including user credentials, personal data, or any other confidential information transmitted over the network.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041, which covers "Exfiltration Over C2 Channel." The flaw represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture and demonstrates poor implementation of secure communication practices. Organizations should implement certificate pinning mechanisms and ensure proper certificate validation before establishing secure connections. The recommended mitigation involves updating the application to enforce proper X.509 certificate validation, implementing certificate pinning where appropriate, and conducting thorough security testing to ensure that all SSL/TLS connections properly validate server certificates against trusted authorities. Additionally, developers should follow secure coding practices and implement robust certificate validation routines to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future releases.