CVE-2014-7399 in Suzanne Glathar
Summary
by MITRE
The Suzanne Glathar (aka com.app_sglathar.layout) application 1.399 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 • 10/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7399 affects the Suzanne Glathar Android application version 1.399, representing a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant exposure in the mobile application's security architecture. The flaw directly impacts the application's ability to establish trust with remote servers, fundamentally undermining the security mechanisms designed to protect user data during transmission.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the application's SSL certificate verification process, which is governed by the underlying Android security framework. When an application establishes an SSL connection, it should validate the server's certificate against a trusted certificate authority to ensure the authenticity of the server. The Suzanne Glathar application bypasses this critical validation step, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This weakness falls under the category of certificate validation failure, which is classified as CWE-295 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, specifically addressing improper certificate validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability creates a prime target for man-in-the-middle attacks, where malicious actors can intercept and manipulate communications between the mobile application and its backend servers. Attackers can generate or obtain certificates that appear to be from legitimate services, enabling them to masquerade as trusted servers and gain access to sensitive user information. This includes but is not limited to personal data, authentication credentials, financial information, or any other data transmitted through the application's secure channels. The vulnerability essentially removes the cryptographic protection that SSL/TLS is designed to provide, rendering the application's secure communication layer ineffective.
From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1566 category, specifically targeting credential access through man-in-the-middle attacks. The vulnerability also relates to T1071.004 which covers application layer protocol traffic shaping. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that mobile applications often handle sensitive personal and financial data, making this vulnerability attractive to threat actors seeking to exploit mobile device security weaknesses. The lack of certificate verification creates an environment where attackers can seamlessly intercept and modify data in transit without detection.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper SSL certificate validation within the application's networking code. Developers must ensure that all SSL connections validate certificate chains against trusted certificate authorities and implement certificate pinning where appropriate. The Android platform provides robust security mechanisms including the TrustManager interface that should be properly configured to enforce certificate validation. Additionally, implementing certificate pinning techniques can provide an additional layer of protection by hardcoding expected certificate fingerprints or public keys, preventing attackers from using fraudulent certificates even if they can create valid SSL connections. Security audits should include thorough testing of certificate validation mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future releases.