CVE-2014-6704 in Utah Jazz
Summary
by MITRE
The Utah Jazz (aka com.sportinginnovations.jazz) application 2.0.0 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 • 09/13/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6704 affects the Utah Jazz mobile application version 2.0.0 for Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's secure communication implementation. 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 targets the certificate verification process, which is fundamental to establishing trust in secure communications between mobile applications and remote servers.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's cryptographic implementation where it bypasses the standard certificate validation procedures that should occur during SSL handshake processes. When an Android application establishes a secure connection to a server, it should verify the server's X.509 certificate against trusted Certificate Authorities to ensure the authenticity of the endpoint. However, the Utah Jazz application fails to perform this crucial verification step, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This weakness directly violates established security protocols and compromises the integrity of the entire secure communication channel.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it enables sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks that can result in complete data interception and manipulation. Attackers can exploit this flaw to impersonate legitimate servers and establish fraudulent communication channels with users, potentially gaining access to sensitive personal information, login credentials, or proprietary data transmitted through the application. The vulnerability affects all users of the specific application version and creates persistent security risks that cannot be resolved through user actions alone. This type of flaw particularly impacts applications handling sensitive user data or conducting financial transactions, making the security implications far-reaching.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a clear violation of the principle of certificate chain validation as outlined in industry standards. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this issue under T1046 Network Service Scanning and T1566 Impersonation, as attackers can use this weakness to establish unauthorized communication channels with mobile applications. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including certificate pinning mechanisms, proper SSL/TLS implementation with certificate validation, and regular security audits of mobile applications. The remediation process requires updating the application code to enforce proper certificate verification procedures, implementing certificate pinning where appropriate, and ensuring all SSL/TLS connections perform thorough certificate validation before establishing trust. Additionally, developers should adopt secure coding practices that adhere to OWASP Mobile Security Project guidelines and implement comprehensive testing procedures to validate cryptographic implementations in mobile environments.