CVE-2014-6738 in Maccabi Tel Aviv
Summary
by MITRE
The Maccabi Tel Aviv (aka com.monkeytech.maccabi) application 1.0 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 • 09/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6738 affects the Maccabi Tel Aviv Android application version 1.0, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The flaw fundamentally undermines the security model designed to protect sensitive information transmitted between the mobile application and remote servers, making it susceptible to various forms of cyber attacks that would otherwise be prevented by proper certificate verification mechanisms.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the application's improper handling of SSL certificate validation processes, which falls under CWE-295 - Improper Certificate Validation. The application fails to implement proper certificate chain validation, hostname verification, or trust store validation that are essential components of secure SSL/TLS communication. When an Android application establishes a connection to a remote server using HTTPS or SSL protocols, it should verify that the server's certificate is issued by a trusted certificate authority, that the certificate has not expired, and that the certificate's hostname matches the server being accessed. The absence of these checks creates a pathway for attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the unverified application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it enables attackers to intercept and manipulate all data transmitted between the vulnerable application and its servers. This includes sensitive user information such as personal identifiers, authentication credentials, financial data, and potentially confidential communications that users expect to remain private and secure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a mobile application that likely handles personal user data for a sports organization, making it attractive to threat actors seeking to exploit user trust and access sensitive information. The man-in-the-middle attack vector allows adversaries to not only eavesdrop on communications but also to inject malicious content or redirect users to fraudulent services, potentially leading to identity theft, financial fraud, or other serious consequences.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1046 - Network Service Scanning and T1566 - Phishing, as attackers can exploit the certificate verification flaw to establish malicious connections and potentially deliver phishing content to users. The vulnerability also represents a failure in the application's security architecture that violates fundamental principles of secure coding practices and mobile application security standards. Organizations deploying such applications should consider implementing comprehensive security testing procedures including dynamic application security testing, static code analysis, and penetration testing to identify similar certificate validation flaws. The remediation approach requires implementing proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms that include certificate chain building, hostname verification, and trust store validation to ensure that all connections to remote servers are properly authenticated and encrypted. Additionally, the application should be updated to use modern security libraries and frameworks that provide robust certificate validation capabilities, as the absence of these protections leaves users vulnerable to sophisticated attack scenarios that could compromise their personal and financial information.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper SSL/TLS implementation in mobile applications and serves as a reminder that security controls must be rigorously tested and validated. The flaw represents a failure in the application's security architecture that could be exploited by attackers with relatively low technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous in a mobile environment where users often trust applications with sensitive personal data. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized access to user accounts within the application ecosystem. Organizations should treat this class of vulnerability as a high-priority security concern and implement comprehensive security measures including regular security assessments, code reviews focused on cryptographic implementations, and adherence to mobile security best practices established by industry standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and OWASP Mobile Security Project guidelines.