CVE-2014-7055 in Ncci's Annual Issues Symposium
Summary
by MITRE
The NCCI s Annual Issues Symposium (aka com.quickmobile.ais14) 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 • 09/28/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7055 affects the NCCI Annual Issues Symposium Android application version 1.0, specifically targeting the application's secure communication protocols. This flaw represents a critical weakness in the application's implementation of SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanisms, creating a significant security risk for users who rely on the application for accessing sensitive information. The application fails to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers, which fundamentally undermines the security assurances that secure communication protocols are designed to provide.
This technical flaw falls under the category of improper certificate validation, which is categorized as CWE-295 within the CWE database. The vulnerability creates an attack vector where malicious actors can perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting crafted certificates to unsuspecting users. The absence of certificate verification means that the application accepts any certificate presented by a server without proper authentication, allowing attackers to establish fake secure connections that appear legitimate to users. This weakness directly violates fundamental security principles of secure communication and trust establishment in networked applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial, as it enables attackers to intercept and potentially manipulate all communications between the Android application and its backend servers. Sensitive information transmitted through the application, including user credentials, personal data, and potentially confidential business information, becomes vulnerable to unauthorized access. The attack surface extends beyond simple data theft to include potential session hijacking, data modification, and complete compromise of the application's secure communication channel. This vulnerability effectively nullifies the security benefits of SSL/TLS encryption for the affected application.
Security professionals should recognize this issue as a classic example of weak cryptography implementation that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046, which involves the use of network service scanning and exploitation of weak security controls. The recommended mitigation strategies include implementing proper certificate pinning mechanisms, enforcing strict certificate validation procedures, and ensuring that the application validates certificate chains against trusted certificate authorities. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate transparency checks and regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities in their mobile applications. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper SSL/TLS implementation in mobile applications and the potential consequences of inadequate security controls in the mobile ecosystem.