CVE-2014-7128 in Toyota OC
Summary
by MITRE
The Toyota OC (aka com.tapatalk.toyotaownersclubcomforums) application 3.6.1 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 identified as CVE-2014-7128 affects the Toyota OC mobile application version 3.6.1 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation 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 enables malicious actors to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks against users of the application.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's certificate verification process, which is a fundamental security mechanism designed to ensure that communications occur with legitimate servers rather than malicious intermediaries. When an application fails to verify X.509 certificates, it essentially disables the cryptographic trust model that SSL/TLS protocols rely upon to establish secure connections. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a failure to implement proper certificate chain validation and hostname verification procedures. The absence of certificate pinning or proper validation allows attackers to present fraudulent certificates that the application will accept without question.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it exposes users to potential data interception and theft. Attackers can exploit this weakness to impersonate legitimate Toyota forums servers, enabling them to capture sensitive user information including login credentials, personal messages, and potentially financial data transmitted through the application. This vulnerability creates an environment where attackers can decrypt and modify communications in transit, fundamentally undermining the confidentiality and integrity of user data. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no special privileges or access to the target device, making it accessible to any attacker with network access and the ability to intercept traffic.
The security implications extend beyond simple information disclosure, as this vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1041 technique for Data Obfuscation and T1566 for Phishing. The compromised application becomes a potential vector for further attacks, including credential theft, session hijacking, and the distribution of malicious payloads. Organizations using mobile applications must understand that such vulnerabilities can serve as entry points for broader security breaches, particularly when applications handle sensitive user information or corporate data. The vulnerability also highlights the critical importance of implementing certificate pinning and proper SSL/TLS validation in mobile applications, as recommended by industry best practices and security standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application, including certificate pinning to prevent the acceptance of fraudulent certificates. Developers should implement strict hostname verification procedures and ensure that all SSL/TLS connections require proper certificate chain validation. The application should be updated to include robust error handling for certificate validation failures, and security audits should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other network communications. Additionally, users should be advised to avoid using the application on untrusted networks and to ensure their devices are running the latest security updates, as this vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in the application's security architecture that requires core code modifications to address properly.