CVE-2014-7121 in Dhanam
Summary
by MITRE
The Dhanam (aka com.magzter.dhanam) application 3.1 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 • 10/01/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-7121 represents a critical security flaw in the Dhanam Android application version 3.1 that directly impacts the application's 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 affects the application's certificate verification mechanism, which is a fundamental component of secure network communication on mobile platforms.
From a technical perspective, the flaw manifests as an improper certificate validation process that allows the application to accept any certificate presented by a server without performing the necessary cryptographic checks and trust verification procedures. This weakness enables attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting maliciously crafted certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The application essentially trusts any certificate chain presented, regardless of its validity, issuer authenticity, or cryptographic strength, which violates fundamental security principles of certificate-based authentication systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate application communications and potentially access sensitive user information. Mobile applications that rely on SSL/TLS for secure data transmission become particularly vulnerable when they fail to validate server certificates, as users may unknowingly transmit personal information, credentials, or financial data through compromised channels. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data flowing through the application, making it a serious concern for any system where user privacy and data protection are paramount.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation" in security protocols, and represents a clear violation of the security principle that applications must verify the authenticity of SSL/TLS certificates before establishing secure connections. The attack vector described in the CVE aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041, which covers "Exfiltration Over C2 Channel" and demonstrates how weakened certificate validation can enable data exfiltration through compromised communication channels. Organizations and developers should recognize that this vulnerability directly undermines the trust model that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to establish, rendering the security benefits of encryption null and void.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability involve implementing proper certificate validation procedures that include checking certificate expiration dates, verifying certificate authorities, performing hostname validation, and ensuring certificate chains are properly constructed and trusted. Developers should utilize established SSL/TLS libraries and frameworks that properly implement certificate verification rather than implementing custom validation logic that may introduce additional weaknesses. Additionally, implementing certificate pinning mechanisms can provide an extra layer of protection against certificate-based attacks, though this approach requires careful implementation to avoid service disruption. Regular security audits and code reviews should be conducted to ensure that all network communications properly validate certificates and that no similar vulnerabilities exist in the application's security architecture.