CVE-2014-7405 in Belaire Family Orthodontics
Summary
by MITRE
The Belaire Family Orthodontics (aka com.app_bf.layout) application 1.304 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-2014-7405 affects the Belaire Family Orthodontics Android application version 1.304, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This weakness stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack vector that compromises the integrity of data transmission between the mobile client and remote servers. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper certificate validation, which is classified as CWE-295 in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, specifically addressing issues related to certificate validation and trust management in cryptographic implementations.
The technical flaw manifests when the application establishes secure connections to backend servers without performing proper certificate verification procedures. This omission allows malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged SSL certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The attack requires the adversary to intercept network traffic and present a certificate that the application accepts without sufficient validation, potentially enabling them to decrypt sensitive communications, capture user credentials, or manipulate transmitted data. The vulnerability directly violates fundamental security principles of SSL/TLS implementation and represents a failure in the application's cryptographic security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the trust model that secure mobile applications rely upon for protecting user information. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain access to sensitive patient data, personal health information, and potentially financial details transmitted through the application. The vulnerability affects healthcare data transmission specifically, making it particularly concerning given the sensitivity of medical information and regulatory requirements under HIPAA standards. Organizations using this application face increased risk of data breaches, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage when such vulnerabilities exist in their mobile security infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-7405 require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's SSL/TLS stack. The recommended approach involves implementing strict certificate pinning, where the application maintains a trusted list of certificate fingerprints or public keys and validates incoming certificates against this established trust store. Additionally, developers should ensure that certificate verification includes checking certificate chains, validating certificate expiration dates, and performing hostname verification to prevent certificate substitution attacks. The fix should align with industry best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-52 and the OWASP Mobile Security Project recommendations for secure mobile application development. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures to address any confirmed breaches resulting from this vulnerability.