CVE-2014-5993 in MLB Preplay
Summary
by MITRE
The MLB Preplay (aka com.preplay.android.mlb) application 5.4.2 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 • 09/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-5993 affects the MLB Preplay Android application version 5.4.2, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communications. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The vulnerability specifically impacts the application's certificate verification mechanism, which is a fundamental component of secure network communications and trust establishment in mobile applications.
The technical flaw manifests as a missing certificate validation step within the application's SSL implementation, allowing attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates. This weakness directly violates standard security practices for secure communication protocols and represents a clear violation of the principle of certificate pinning and trust validation. The application's failure to verify certificate chains, issuer information, and cryptographic signatures creates an environment where malicious actors can intercept and manipulate communications between the mobile client and backend servers. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of weak cryptographic implementations and improper certificate validation as classified by CWE-295, which specifically addresses issues related to certificate validation and trust management in network communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to obtain sensitive user information, session tokens, and potentially personal data transmitted through the application. Mobile applications that fail to properly validate SSL certificates create persistent security risks for users, particularly when handling sensitive information such as account credentials, personal details, or financial data. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in the context of mobile applications that may be used in public networks where man-in-the-middle attacks are more prevalent, making the attack surface even broader. This issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which involves network service scanning and can be leveraged for initial access and credential theft in mobile environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-5993 should include immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application, including certificate pinning to specific trusted authorities and regular security audits of cryptographic implementations. Developers should implement robust certificate validation routines that verify certificate chains, expiration dates, and issuer authenticity before establishing secure connections. The application should be updated to enforce strict certificate validation procedures and implement proper error handling for certificate validation failures. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their mobile applications to identify similar vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with industry standards such as NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and secure communication protocols. Regular updates and security patches should be deployed to address the vulnerability and prevent exploitation by threat actors.