CVE-2014-7364 in Promotional Items
Summary
by MITRE
The Promotional Items (aka com.wPromotionalItems) application 0.1 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 • 10/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7364 affects the Promotional Items Android application version 0.1, specifically targeting the application's SSL certificate verification mechanisms. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that undermines the fundamental principles of secure communication between mobile applications and remote servers. The application fails to properly validate X.509 certificates, creating an exploitable gap in the cryptographic security framework that protects sensitive data transmission.
This vulnerability stems from improper implementation of SSL/TLS certificate validation within the Android application's network communication layer. The application essentially accepts any SSL certificate presented by a server without performing the necessary cryptographic verification steps that should confirm the certificate's authenticity and trustworthiness. This behavior directly violates established security protocols and creates an environment where malicious actors can exploit the weakness through man-in-the-middle attacks. The flaw operates at the transport layer security validation level, where certificates should be verified against trusted certificate authorities and validated for proper signatures and domain alignment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it enables attackers to establish fraudulent communication channels with the application. An attacker positioned between the Android device and legitimate servers can present a forged certificate that appears valid to the application, allowing them to intercept, modify, or redirect sensitive data flowing through the application. This includes user credentials, personal information, transaction data, and any other sensitive content that the application might transmit or receive. The vulnerability essentially provides attackers with a backdoor to access all communication channels that rely on SSL/TLS encryption, making it particularly dangerous for applications handling confidential information.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-295, which describes "Improper Certificate Validation," and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1573.002 for "Encrypted Channels." The weakness represents a failure in the application's security architecture to implement proper certificate pinning or validation mechanisms that are standard requirements for mobile applications handling sensitive data. Organizations implementing such applications should consider the broader security implications and ensure that their mobile security policies include mandatory certificate verification requirements. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing proper SSL/TLS configuration as outlined in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-52 and OWASP Mobile Top 10.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application, including certificate pinning for critical communication channels, and ensuring that all SSL/TLS connections perform thorough certificate verification. Developers should utilize Android's built-in certificate validation APIs and avoid custom implementations that bypass standard security checks. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other network communication components. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect potential man-in-the-middle attacks and establish incident response procedures for addressing such security incidents. The fix requires updating the application code to enforce proper certificate chain validation and implement appropriate trust store management to prevent the acceptance of untrusted certificates.