CVE-2014-5988 in Azkend Gold
Summary
by MITRE
The Azkend Gold (aka com.the10tons.azkend.gold) application 1.2.6 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 • 09/08/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-5988 represents a critical security flaw in the Azkend Gold Android application version 1.2.6, specifically concerning its implementation of secure communication protocols. This application, designed for mobile devices, fails to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates during network connections, creating a significant attack surface that exposes users to sophisticated man-in-the-middle threats. The flaw fundamentally undermines the cryptographic security mechanisms that are essential for protecting data integrity and confidentiality in mobile applications.
The technical implementation issue stems from the application's failure to perform proper certificate validation during SSL handshakes. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which addresses the improper certificate validation in secure communications. The application's code does not verify the authenticity of X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers, meaning it accepts any certificate without checking its validity, trust chain, or proper signing authority. This omission creates a dangerous scenario where attackers can generate malicious certificates that appear legitimate to the application, allowing them to intercept and manipulate all data transmitted between the mobile device and target servers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, particularly within the context of mobile security frameworks and the MITRE ATT&CK framework's command and control categories. Attackers exploiting this weakness can establish transparent proxy connections to perform session hijacking, data theft, and credential harvesting from users of the affected application. The vulnerability affects the application's ability to maintain secure communications channels, potentially exposing sensitive user data, personal information, and authentication credentials. Given that mobile applications often handle financial transactions, personal communications, and private data, the implications extend beyond simple data interception to encompass full-scale identity theft and financial fraud.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a prime example of insufficient certificate pinning and trust validation in mobile applications. The flaw demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms as outlined in industry best practices for mobile security. Organizations should immediately implement certificate pinning strategies, ensure proper certificate validation routines are in place, and conduct comprehensive security audits of mobile applications to identify similar implementation gaps. The vulnerability also highlights the need for adherence to secure coding practices that prevent such fundamental security failures in mobile application development, particularly in the context of the OWASP Mobile Security Project's top ten vulnerabilities that emphasize the importance of secure communication channels and proper cryptographic implementation.