CVE-2014-7017 in Tim Ban Bon Phuong
Summary
by MITRE
The Tim Ban Bon Phuong (aka com.entertaiment.timbanbonphuong) application 2.2 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-2014-7017 affects the Tim Ban Bon Phuong Android application version 2.2, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This weakness resides in the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating an exploitable condition that undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by cryptographic protocols. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification mechanism that should establish trust between the mobile client and remote servers, allowing attackers to bypass essential security controls that protect against unauthorized access and data interception.
The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of certificate validation within the application's SSL implementation, which directly violates established security practices and standards. According to CWE-295, this represents a weakness in certificate validation where the application fails to properly verify the authenticity and integrity of SSL certificates presented by servers. The vulnerability creates a man-in-the-middle attack vector that enables adversaries to establish fraudulent SSL connections with the application, effectively allowing them to impersonate legitimate servers. This flaw operates at the core of the application's network security architecture, where proper certificate chain validation should occur but does not, leaving all data transmitted between the mobile device and remote servers vulnerable to interception and manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, encompassing a comprehensive compromise of user privacy and application security. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept sensitive user information, session tokens, and personal data transmitted through the application's network communications. The vulnerability affects all users of the affected application version and creates persistent security risks that remain active until the flaw is patched. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1046 Network Service Scanning and T1566 Phishing, as attackers can leverage the compromised application to conduct reconnaissance and establish persistent access points for further exploitation. The lack of certificate verification also undermines the application's ability to provide secure communication channels, potentially enabling credential theft, financial data compromise, and unauthorized access to user accounts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-7017 require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's SSL/TLS stack. Security practitioners should implement certificate pinning techniques to ensure that the application only accepts certificates from trusted Certificate Authorities and specific server identities. The application must be updated to perform comprehensive certificate chain validation, including checking certificate expiration dates, verifying certificate signatures, and ensuring proper certificate subject names match the target servers. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous SSL traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level security controls such as SSL inspection and deep packet inspection to identify and block malicious certificate usage. The fix must align with industry standards including OWASP Mobile Top 10 M3-Insecure Communication and NIST SP 800-52 guidelines for secure SSL/TLS implementation, ensuring that all future application updates properly validate server certificates and maintain the integrity of encrypted communications.