CVE-2014-7339 in Cuanto Conoces A un Amigo
Summary
by MITRE
The Cuanto Conoces A un Amigo (aka com.makeitpossible.CuantoConocesAunAmigo) application 2.0 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.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7339 affects the Cuanto Conoces A un Amigo Android application version 2.0, representing a critical security flaw in the mobile application's SSL/TLS implementation. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during secure communication with remote servers, creating a significant attack vector for malicious actors. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process, which is fundamental to establishing trust in secure communications. According to CWE-295, this represents a failure to validate certificates, which directly undermines the integrity of the Transport Layer Security protocol. The application's improper handling of SSL certificate validation leaves users exposed to sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks where attackers can seamlessly impersonate legitimate servers.
The technical implementation flaw manifests in the application's inability to perform proper certificate chain validation and hostname verification when establishing secure connections. Mobile applications typically rely on the underlying operating system's certificate store and validation mechanisms to ensure that communications are encrypted and authenticated. However, this particular application appears to bypass or inadequately implement these security controls, potentially through custom SSL socket implementations or by using insecure certificate handling libraries. The vulnerability allows attackers to present maliciously crafted certificates that would be accepted by the application, effectively breaking the cryptographic protection that SSL/TLS is designed to provide. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which involves the use of man-in-the-middle attacks to intercept and manipulate network traffic.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to encompass complete session hijacking and credential theft capabilities. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain access to sensitive user information including personal data, login credentials, and potentially financial information that the application may handle. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the network communication layer, meaning that any data transmitted between the mobile application and its backend servers becomes vulnerable to interception and manipulation. This flaw affects the application's ability to maintain secure communication channels, undermining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the data exchanged. The vulnerability is classified as a certificate validation failure, which is a well-documented weakness in mobile application security that has been consistently identified in various security assessments and penetration testing exercises.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms within the application. Developers should ensure that all X.509 certificates are validated against trusted certificate authorities and that hostname verification is performed during SSL handshakes. The application should be updated to utilize the Android operating system's built-in certificate validation mechanisms rather than implementing custom SSL handling that bypasses security controls. Security patches should enforce certificate pinning where appropriate, and the application should be configured to reject self-signed certificates or certificates from untrusted authorities. According to industry best practices and security frameworks, this vulnerability should be addressed through comprehensive code review and security testing that includes SSL/TLS implementation verification. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures for handling certificate-related security incidents. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of adhering to mobile application security standards and implementing proper cryptographic practices to protect user data and maintain trust in mobile applications.