CVE-2014-7376 in Facebook Profits on Steroids
Summary
by MITRE
The Facebook Profits on Steroids (aka com.wFacebookProfitsonSteroids) 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.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-7376 represents a critical security flaw in the Facebook Profits on Steroids Android application version 0.1. This issue falls under the category of improper certificate verification, which is a fundamental weakness in secure communication protocols. The application fails to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during the secure connection establishment process. This deficiency creates a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise the confidentiality and integrity of data transmitted between the mobile application and remote servers.
The technical implementation flaw stems from the application's failure to perform proper certificate chain validation and trust verification. When an Android application establishes an SSL connection, it should validate the server certificate against a trusted certificate authority and ensure the certificate has not been tampered with or revoked. In this case, the Facebook Profits on Steroids application bypasses these essential security checks, allowing any certificate to be accepted regardless of its authenticity or trustworthiness. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation" and is commonly referenced in mobile security assessments. The absence of certificate pinning or proper trust store validation creates an environment where attackers can perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it exposes users to comprehensive information theft and potential identity compromise. Attackers can exploit this weakness to decrypt sensitive communications, capture user credentials, and potentially redirect users to malicious websites that appear to be legitimate Facebook or related services. The vulnerability affects any data transmitted through the application's network communications, including personal information, login credentials, and potentially financial data if the application handles such information. This weakness is particularly concerning in mobile environments where applications often operate on potentially unsecured networks such as public wifi hotspots, making the attack surface even more expansive. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1041, which covers data compression and T1566, which involves credential harvesting through social engineering, as the application's insecure communication channel can facilitate both data exfiltration and credential theft.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application. The most effective approach involves implementing certificate pinning, where the application explicitly defines which certificates or certificate authorities are trusted for specific connections. This technique prevents attackers from using fraudulent certificates even if they can intercept the communication. Additionally, developers should ensure that the application performs full certificate chain validation, verifies certificate expiration dates, and checks certificate revocation status through mechanisms like OCSP or CRL. The application should also implement proper error handling for certificate validation failures, ensuring that any certificate validation issues result in immediate connection termination rather than proceeding with insecure communications. Security audits and penetration testing should be conducted regularly to verify that certificate validation mechanisms remain effective against evolving attack techniques. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level protections such as SSL inspection and monitoring for suspicious certificate usage patterns, though these measures are secondary to proper application-level certificate validation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to mobile security frameworks that emphasize proper cryptographic implementation and secure communication protocols.