CVE-2014-7340 in Old Bike Mart
Summary
by MITRE
The Old Bike Mart (aka com.magazinecloner.oldbike) application @7F08017E 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 • 10/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7340 affects the Old Bike Mart Android application, specifically targeting its implementation of SSL/TLS certificate verification mechanisms. This weakness resides in the application's security architecture at the network communication layer where it fails to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure connections. The flaw represents a critical failure in the application's cryptographic security implementation, as it blindly accepts any certificate without performing the essential verification steps that should confirm the certificate's authenticity and trustworthiness.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the application's improper handling of SSL certificate validation routines within its network stack. When establishing secure connections to remote servers, the application should verify that the presented X.509 certificates are issued by trusted Certificate Authorities, that they match the expected hostname, and that they have not been tampered with or expired. However, the Old Bike Mart application bypasses these crucial verification steps, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks. This behavior directly violates fundamental security principles for secure communications and represents a clear deviation from industry best practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it exposes users to significant data compromise risks. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept and manipulate communications between the application and its servers, potentially gaining access to sensitive user information including personal data, login credentials, payment information, and other confidential details transmitted through the application. The vulnerability essentially undermines the entire purpose of SSL/TLS encryption, rendering the security layer ineffective and leaving users vulnerable to various attack vectors. This weakness particularly affects mobile applications that handle sensitive user data and financial transactions, making it a critical concern for both users and developers.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a classic example of weak cryptographic implementation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this weakness maps to T1046 Network Service Scanning and T1566 Phishing, as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish fraudulent server endpoints and deceive users into providing sensitive information. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the application targets mobile users who may be less aware of security indicators and more susceptible to social engineering attacks. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including certificate pinning, proper SSL validation implementation, and comprehensive security testing to address this vulnerability and prevent exploitation. The remediation efforts must focus on ensuring that all network communications properly validate SSL certificates against trusted certificate authorities and implement robust cryptographic security measures that align with current industry standards and regulatory requirements.