CVE-2014-7124 in IP Alarm
Summary
by MITRE
The IP Alarm (aka com.cosesy.gadget.alarm) application 1.4 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 identified as CVE-2014-7124 affects the IP Alarm application version 1.4 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. 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 the integrity of network communications. The vulnerability specifically impacts the application's cryptographic security implementation, where it accepts any certificate presented by a server without performing the necessary verification steps that establish trust in the certificate authority chain.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's SSL certificate validation mechanism, which should normally implement certificate pinning or proper certificate chain validation according to industry standards. When an Android application establishes SSL connections, it should verify the server's certificate against a trusted certificate authority or implement certificate pinning to prevent impersonation attacks. However, the IP Alarm application bypasses these security checks, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This weakness directly violates the fundamental principles of secure communication protocols and represents a failure in the application's security architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it enables man-in-the-middle attacks that can lead to complete compromise of sensitive data transmitted through the application. Attackers can intercept communications between the Android device and remote servers, potentially accessing personal information, configuration data, or control commands that the application handles. The vulnerability affects not only the confidentiality of communications but also the integrity and authenticity of data being exchanged, making it particularly dangerous for applications that manage security systems or sensitive operational data. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in cryptographic implementation where proper certificate validation is omitted or incorrectly implemented, falling under CWE-310.
The attack vector for this vulnerability aligns with the techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the initial access and credential access phases, where adversaries establish persistent access through compromised communications channels. Network-based attackers can exploit this vulnerability by setting up malicious servers that present forged certificates to the vulnerable application, potentially gaining access to security system controls or sensitive operational data. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure to potential system compromise, as the application may be used to control security devices or access restricted systems. Organizations using this application face significant risk of unauthorized access to their security infrastructure, particularly in environments where the application interfaces with critical security systems or networked devices.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application. The recommended approach includes implementing certificate pinning, where the application explicitly trusts specific certificates or certificate authorities rather than accepting any certificate from a server. Additionally, the application should validate certificate chains against trusted root certificates, implement proper certificate expiration checks, and ensure that certificate verification occurs before any sensitive data is transmitted. Security updates to the application should enforce these cryptographic security measures, and organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of mobile applications to identify similar vulnerabilities. The fix should also include implementing proper error handling for certificate validation failures, ensuring that the application terminates connections when certificate validation fails rather than proceeding with potentially compromised communications.