CVE-2014-7307 in ForoSocuellamos
Summary
by MITRE
The ForoSocuellamos (aka com.forosocuellamos.tlcttbeukajwpeqreg) application 1.1 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-2014-7307 affects the ForoSocuellamos Android application version 1.1, representing a critical security flaw in the application's SSL certificate validation mechanism. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly verify X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure communications. The vulnerability classifies under CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols. The application's insecure implementation of SSL/TLS certificate verification creates a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise the confidentiality and integrity of data transmitted between the mobile application and remote servers.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's complete absence of certificate pinning or validation procedures that should normally occur during SSL handshakes. When an Android application establishes a secure connection to a server, it should validate the server's X.509 certificate against trusted Certificate Authorities and verify that the certificate matches the expected hostname. However, the ForoSocuellamos application bypasses these essential security checks, allowing any certificate to be accepted regardless of its authenticity or trustworthiness. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which describes the use of man-in-the-middle attacks to intercept and manipulate network traffic, and T1566 which covers social engineering tactics that can be used to craft convincing malicious certificates.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, particularly for users who rely on the application for sensitive data transmission or financial transactions. Attackers can execute successful man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting crafted certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application, thereby gaining access to all data transmitted between the mobile device and the server. This includes but is not limited to user credentials, personal information, payment details, and any other sensitive data that the application might process or transmit. The vulnerability essentially nullifies the security guarantees provided by SSL/TLS encryption, rendering the application's secure communication channel ineffective against determined attackers. Organizations using this application face potential regulatory compliance issues and increased risk of data breaches that could result in significant financial and reputational damage.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate implementation of proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms within the application. Developers should implement certificate pinning techniques that require specific certificates or public keys to be present in the application's trust store, preventing the acceptance of unauthorized certificates. The application should validate certificate chains against trusted Certificate Authorities and perform hostname verification to ensure certificates are issued for the expected server names. Additionally, security patches should enforce strict certificate validation policies that align with industry best practices and standards such as those recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level monitoring to detect anomalous certificate behavior and establish proper security auditing procedures to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of adhering to secure coding practices and proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications to prevent exploitation through man-in-the-middle attacks.