CVE-2014-6898 in MyLibrary
Summary
by MITRE
The Boopsie MyLibrary (aka com.bredir.boopsie.mylibrary) application 4.5.110 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 • 09/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6898 affects the Boopsie MyLibrary Android application version 4.5.110, 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 adversaries can exploit to compromise user data integrity and confidentiality. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process, which is fundamental to establishing trust in secure communications between mobile applications and remote servers.
From a technical perspective, the flaw manifests as a lack of proper certificate chain validation and trust verification mechanisms within the application's SSL implementation. When the Boopsie MyLibrary application establishes connections to remote servers, it should validate the server's X.509 certificate against trusted certificate authorities and verify that the certificate has not been tampered with or is not expired. However, the application fails to perform these critical verification steps, allowing malicious actors to present forged certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This weakness directly violates fundamental security principles of public key infrastructure and creates a pathway for man-in-the-middle attacks where attackers can intercept and modify communications between the vulnerable application and its intended servers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it fundamentally undermines the security model that users expect from mobile applications. Attackers can leverage this flaw to impersonate legitimate servers, potentially gaining access to sensitive user information including personal data, credentials, or financial information that the application handles. The vulnerability affects all users of the specific application version, creating a widespread security risk that persists until the issue is addressed through a software update or patch. From an attacker's perspective, this represents a low-effort, high-impact vector that requires minimal technical expertise to exploit, making it particularly dangerous in the mobile security landscape where users often trust applications with sensitive personal data.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a clear violation of the security principle that applications must validate the authenticity and integrity of cryptographic certificates before establishing trust. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this issue under T1046 Network Service Scanning and T1566 Credential Access through Phishing, as attackers can use this vulnerability to establish unauthorized communication channels and potentially gain access to user credentials or sensitive information. Organizations and users should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader threat landscape where mobile applications must implement robust security controls to prevent unauthorized access and data compromise.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate deployment of a patched application version that implements proper certificate validation mechanisms, including certificate chain verification and trust anchor validation. Security teams should also consider implementing network-based monitoring to detect suspicious certificate behavior and establish secure communication policies that enforce certificate validation. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of installing untrusted applications and the importance of keeping mobile applications updated with the latest security patches. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of implementing proper cryptographic security measures in mobile applications, particularly those handling sensitive user data, and demonstrates how seemingly minor implementation flaws can create significant security risks in the mobile ecosystem.