CVE-2014-7064 in ben10 omniverse walkthrough
Summary
by MITRE
The ben10 omniverse walkthrough (aka com.wben10omniverse2walkthrough) application 0.7 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.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7064 affects the ben10 omniverse walkthrough application version 0.7 for android platforms, 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 SSL/TLS certificates during network communications, creating a significant attack surface that can be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process within the application's network stack, where it fails to perform proper X.509 certificate validation against trusted certificate authorities. This weakness allows attackers to execute man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application, thereby undermining the fundamental security guarantees of encrypted communications.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's inability to properly implement certificate pinning or trust verification mechanisms that are standard requirements for secure mobile applications. When the application establishes SSL connections to remote servers, it does not validate the certificate chain against known trusted certificate authorities or implement proper certificate pinning techniques. This absence of certificate verification creates a scenario where attackers can intercept communications and present malicious certificates that the application will accept as valid. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which addresses the weakness of "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a failure to implement proper SSL/TLS security controls. The flaw essentially removes the cryptographic assurance that the application is communicating with the intended server rather than an attacker's intermediary, making it possible for threat actors to eavesdrop on communications or inject malicious data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it creates opportunities for comprehensive attack vectors that can compromise user data and system integrity. Attackers can exploit this weakness to obtain sensitive information transmitted through the application, including user credentials, personal data, or any other information exchanged over the insecure connections. The vulnerability particularly affects applications that handle sensitive user information or require secure communication channels, as it effectively neutralizes the security benefits of SSL/TLS encryption. Mobile applications are especially vulnerable to this type of attack due to the limited computational resources and security features available on mobile platforms, combined with the prevalence of unsecured network communications in mobile environments. This weakness can be leveraged to perform session hijacking, data exfiltration, or even to deliver malicious payloads to users who trust the application to be secure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security architecture improvements. The primary fix involves implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms that verify certificate chains against trusted certificate authorities and potentially implementing certificate pinning for critical communications. Applications should utilize established SSL/TLS libraries that properly handle certificate verification rather than implementing custom insecure validation logic. Security measures should include regular certificate updates, proper certificate revocation checking, and implementation of secure communication protocols that enforce certificate validation at all connection points. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous certificate usage patterns and establish secure coding practices that prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future applications. The remediation process should align with industry standards such as those specified in the OWASP Mobile Security Project and NIST guidelines for secure mobile application development, ensuring that certificate validation is properly integrated into the application's security architecture. Additionally, security testing should include thorough validation of SSL/TLS implementations to prevent similar issues from being introduced in future versions of the application.