CVE-2014-6642 in Mark's Daily Apple Forum
Summary
by MITRE
The Mark s Daily Apple Forum (aka com.tapatalk.marksdailyapplecomforum) application 2.4.9.3 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.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6642 affects the Mark s Daily Apple Forum Android application version 2.4.9.3, representing a critical security flaw in the application's SSL certificate validation mechanism. This issue falls under the category of insufficient certificate verification, which creates a pathway for malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks against users of the application. The application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates from SSL servers represents a fundamental breakdown in the cryptographic security infrastructure that protects user communications. According to CWE-295, this vulnerability specifically relates to improper certificate validation, where the software fails to adequately verify the authenticity of SSL/TLS certificates presented by servers.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability stems from the application's implementation of SSL/TLS connections without proper certificate chain validation. When an Android application establishes a secure connection to a server, it should verify that the server's certificate is issued by a trusted Certificate Authority and that the certificate's validity period has not expired. The Mark s Daily Apple Forum application bypasses these essential verification steps, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This weakness enables attackers to intercept and potentially modify communications between the user's device and the application's servers, creating an environment where sensitive user data could be compromised.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the trust model that secure communications depend upon. Attackers can exploit this flaw to create fake server environments that appear authentic to the application, potentially capturing login credentials, personal messages, or other sensitive information transmitted through the forum. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in the context of mobile applications where users may be accessing sensitive information or communicating through forums that could contain personal or professional data. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which describes social engineering attacks that can be facilitated by compromising the trust relationship between client and server through certificate manipulation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from both application developers and security administrators. The primary fix involves implementing proper SSL certificate validation within the application's network communication layer, ensuring that all certificates are verified against trusted certificate authorities and that certificate chains are properly validated. Developers should implement certificate pinning mechanisms where possible, which involves embedding specific certificate fingerprints or public keys within the application to verify against the server's certificate. Additionally, the application should enforce strict certificate validation policies that reject connections when certificate validation fails, rather than proceeding with potentially compromised connections. Security professionals should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual certificate behavior or potential attacks targeting the application's secure communication channels. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining proper cryptographic practices in mobile applications, as outlined in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and the OWASP Mobile Security Project's recommendations for secure communication in mobile applications.