CVE-2014-6718 in My Mobile Day
Summary
by MITRE
The My Mobile Day (aka com.mymobileday) application 1.3 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/14/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-6718 represents a critical security flaw in the My Mobile Day Android application version 1.3 that fundamentally undermines the application's ability to establish secure communications with remote servers. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS handshakes, creating a significant attack surface that enables malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks against unsuspecting users. The vulnerability directly violates established security protocols and best practices for secure mobile application development, as it eliminates the cryptographic verification mechanisms that are essential for maintaining data integrity and confidentiality.
The technical nature of this flaw places it squarely within the realm of certificate verification failures, which are categorized under CWE-295 - Improper Certificate Validation. The application's inability to properly verify SSL certificates means that it accepts any certificate presented by a server without performing the necessary checks against trusted certificate authorities or validating certificate chains. This weakness allows attackers to generate or obtain fraudulent certificates that can be used to impersonate legitimate servers, enabling them to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive user data transmitted between the mobile application and backend services. The vulnerability specifically affects the SSL/TLS implementation within the application's network communication layer, where certificate validation should occur but fails to function properly.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes users to substantial risk of data compromise and privacy violations. Mobile applications that fail to validate certificates create an environment where attackers can easily intercept sensitive information such as login credentials, personal data, financial information, or any other data transmitted over network connections. The man-in-the-middle attack vector enabled by this flaw allows adversaries to not only eavesdrop on communications but also to actively manipulate data in transit, potentially leading to account takeovers, financial fraud, or other malicious activities. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in mobile environments where users may connect to unsecured public networks, increasing the likelihood of successful exploitation.
The security implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple data interception to encompass broader concerns about application trust models and secure communication practices. According to ATT&CK framework category T1566 - Phishing, this weakness creates opportunities for attackers to craft convincing phishing attacks by exploiting the trust relationship that users expect from secure applications. Organizations and developers should implement proper certificate pinning mechanisms, utilize trusted certificate authorities, and ensure that all SSL/TLS connections validate certificate chains against established trust roots. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and the necessity of rigorous security testing during application development lifecycle phases, particularly focusing on network security implementations and cryptographic protocol adherence.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate code fixes to implement proper certificate validation, deployment of certificate pinning mechanisms where appropriate, and comprehensive security testing of all network communication components. Mobile application developers should adopt industry standards such as those defined by NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and ensure that all SSL/TLS implementations follow established security guidelines. The application should be updated to validate certificate chains against trusted certificate authorities, implement proper hostname verification, and incorporate mechanisms to detect and reject self-signed or untrusted certificates. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other network communication components and ensure that security measures remain effective against evolving threats.