CVE-2014-7358 in Vermont Powder
Summary
by MITRE
The Vermont Powder (aka com.concursive.vermontpowder) application 4.1 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.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7358 affects the Vermont Powder Android application version 4.1, specifically targeting the application's handling of secure communications through the Transport Layer Security protocol. This flaw represents a critical weakness in the application's cryptographic implementation that directly impacts the integrity and confidentiality of data transmitted between the mobile client and remote servers. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS handshakes, creating a significant security gap that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The issue manifests in the application's inability to perform proper certificate chain validation, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that the application accepts without proper verification.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability corresponds to CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and demonstrates a failure in implementing proper certificate pinning or validation mechanisms. The application's SSL implementation lacks the necessary cryptographic checks that should verify certificate authenticity, validity periods, and trust chain relationships with recognized Certificate Authorities. This weakness enables man-in-the-middle attacks where malicious actors can intercept communications by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the OSI model, specifically affecting the secure socket layer communication protocols that are fundamental to protecting sensitive information during transmission.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-7358 extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of the affected application. Mobile users who interact with the Vermont Powder application become vulnerable to various attack vectors including credential theft, session hijacking, and data exfiltration. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to capture sensitive user information such as login credentials, personal data, and potentially financial information that flows through the application's secure channels. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in mobile environments where applications often handle sensitive personal and business data, making the lack of certificate verification a significant threat to user privacy and organizational security. This weakness creates an attack surface that can be leveraged by threat actors to establish persistent access to user accounts and systems.
Organizations and developers should implement multiple layers of mitigation to address this vulnerability effectively. The primary remediation involves implementing proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms that verify certificate chains against trusted CAs and implement certificate pinning strategies to prevent the acceptance of unauthorized certificates. The application should be updated to include proper certificate validation routines that check certificate expiration dates, issuer authenticity, and certificate chain integrity. Additionally, implementing certificate transparency measures and regular security audits of cryptographic implementations can help prevent similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041, which describes data compression and encryption, as it directly impacts the encryption verification processes that protect sensitive communications. Security teams should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual certificate behavior and establish incident response procedures for potential exploitation of this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the SSL implementation to ensure that certificate validation occurs properly and that the application maintains secure communication channels with all remote servers.