CVE-2014-7103 in Oskarshamnsliv
Summary
by MITRE
The Oskarshamnsliv (aka appinventor.ai_stadslivsguiden.Oskarshamnsliv) application 6.0 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 • 09/30/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-7103 affects the Oskarshamnsliv mobile application version 6.0 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 X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that compromises the integrity of encrypted communications between the mobile client and remote servers. The flaw specifically impacts the application's ability to establish trust with legitimate servers, as it accepts any certificate presented without performing the necessary verification steps that are fundamental to secure internet communications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability can be categorized under CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation" in security protocols. This weakness allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged SSL certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The attack vector involves intercepting communications between the mobile device and the server, then substituting the legitimate server certificate with a malicious one that has been crafted to appear trustworthy. The application's failure to validate certificate chains, issuer information, or public key fingerprints creates an environment where attackers can successfully impersonate legitimate services without detection.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability exposes users to significant risks including data interception, credential theft, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Mobile applications that rely on secure communication channels for user authentication, personal data handling, or transaction processing become particularly vulnerable when they fail to implement proper certificate validation. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as attackers can potentially modify data in transit, redirect users to malicious sites, or establish persistent access points for further exploitation. This vulnerability undermines the fundamental security assurances that users expect from mobile applications that handle sensitive personal or financial information.
The attack surface for this vulnerability aligns with several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to credential access and initial access vectors. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access to user accounts, intercept authentication tokens, or gain unauthorized access to backend systems that the application interfaces with. The vulnerability's impact is amplified when the application handles user credentials, personal data, or financial transactions, as attackers can exploit the certificate validation bypass to gain unauthorized access to user accounts and sensitive data repositories. Organizations should consider implementing network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish proper certificate pinning mechanisms to prevent such attacks from succeeding.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include implementing proper certificate validation procedures within the application, including certificate pinning for critical communications, and ensuring that all SSL/TLS connections perform thorough verification of certificate chains and issuer information. The application should be updated to include proper certificate validation logic that checks certificate expiration dates, verifies certificate signatures against trusted authorities, and implements certificate revocation checking where appropriate. Additionally, developers should consider implementing certificate transparency mechanisms and regular security audits to identify and remediate similar issues in the application's security architecture. The fix should align with industry best practices for mobile application security and should be validated through penetration testing to ensure that the certificate validation mechanisms function correctly under various attack scenarios.