CVE-2014-6996 in Martial Arts Battle Card
Summary
by MITRE
The Martial Arts Battle Card (aka com.tapenjoy.zjh.tw) application 1.0.9 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 • 09/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6996 resides within the Martial Arts Battle Card application version 1.0.9 for Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's cryptographic implementation. This issue fundamentally compromises the integrity of secure communications by failing to validate server certificates during SSL/TLS connections. The application's inability to properly verify X.509 certificates creates a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to establish fraudulent connections with users. This flaw directly violates established security protocols and undermines the trust model that secure communications rely upon.
The technical implementation flaw manifests as a missing certificate validation mechanism within the application's SSL/TLS handshake process. When the application establishes secure connections to remote servers, it fails to perform the necessary verification steps that would normally confirm the authenticity of the server's certificate against trusted certificate authorities. This omission allows attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application, enabling them to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive data transmitted between the user's device and the server. The vulnerability specifically affects the certificate chain validation process, where the application should verify certificate signatures, expiration dates, and issuer authenticity but instead accepts any certificate presented.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete session hijacking capabilities for attackers. Man-in-the-middle adversaries can exploit this weakness to impersonate legitimate servers and gain access to user credentials, personal information, and other sensitive data. The vulnerability affects all users of the affected application version and creates persistent security risks since the flaw exists in the client-side implementation rather than requiring user interaction to exploit. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in mobile applications where users may be accessing sensitive information or conducting financial transactions that require secure communication channels.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a clear violation of the principle of certificate trust validation. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this issue under credential access and defense evasion techniques, as it enables attackers to bypass security controls and access protected information. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including updating to patched versions of the application, implementing network-level monitoring for suspicious certificate behavior, and deploying certificate pinning mechanisms where possible. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper SSL/TLS implementation in mobile applications and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing during application development lifecycle processes.