CVE-2014-7005 in Foconet
Summary
by MITRE
The Foconet (aka suporte.com.foconet) 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 • 09/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7005 affects the Foconet application version 1.0 for Android devices, 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 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 inability to perform proper certificate chain validation and trust verification when establishing secure connections. This weakness allows attackers to intercept communications by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper certificate validation as classified by CWE-295, which specifically addresses the failure to validate certificates against a trusted certificate authority. The application's failure to implement proper certificate pinning or trust verification mechanisms leaves it susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks where attackers can establish fake secure connections and potentially access sensitive user information or manipulate data flows.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of the application and potentially exposes users to various forms of cyber attacks. Mobile applications relying on insecure SSL/TLS implementations create pathways for attackers to access personal information, authentication credentials, or other sensitive data transmitted through the application. This vulnerability directly relates to the MITM attack pattern described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique of "T1041: Network Sniffing" and "T1566: Phishing" as attackers can exploit the trust relationship to deceive users into believing they are communicating with legitimate servers. The vulnerability affects not just the Foconet application but represents a broader class of mobile security issues where certificate validation is bypassed or improperly implemented.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application. Developers should implement certificate pinning to ensure that only specific certificates or certificate authorities are trusted for connections. The application should validate certificate chains against trusted root certificates, implement proper hostname verification, and utilize secure certificate storage mechanisms. Security patches should include the enforcement of certificate validation protocols and regular updates to maintain trust in the certificate ecosystem. Organizations should also implement monitoring systems to detect anomalous certificate usage patterns and establish secure communication protocols that adhere to industry standards such as those defined in NIST SP 800-57 for cryptographic key management and TLS protocol implementations. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper security testing in mobile application development, particularly in environments where sensitive data transmission is involved.