CVE-2014-7428 in Three Kingdoms
Summary
by MITRE
The 7725.com Three Kingdoms (aka com.platform7725.youai.jiejian) application 2.4 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 • 10/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7428 affects the 7725.com Three Kingdoms Android application version 2.4, representing a critical security flaw in the mobile application's SSL/TLS implementation. This weakness resides in the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during secure communication with remote servers, creating a significant attack surface that compromises the integrity of encrypted connections. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process, which is fundamental to establishing trust in secure communications and preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data.
From a technical perspective, the flaw manifests as a failure to implement proper certificate pinning or validation mechanisms within the Android application's network security framework. When the application establishes SSL connections to its backend servers, it does not perform the necessary cryptographic verification steps that would normally ensure the certificate presented by the server matches the expected certificate authority or public key. This omission allows attackers to intercept communications using malicious certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application, effectively bypassing the security protections that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, creating multiple attack vectors for malicious actors. An attacker positioned in a man-in-the-middle position can craft and present fake certificates that the vulnerable application will accept as legitimate, enabling them to decrypt and manipulate sensitive data transmitted between the mobile application and its servers. This includes user credentials, personal information, payment details, and other confidential data that users expect to be protected through secure communication channels. The attack scenario represents a classic SSL stripping or certificate manipulation attack that undermines the fundamental security assumptions of the application's network layer. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1573.002 for "Encrypted Channel: TLS/SSL Protocol" and T1046 for "Network Service Scanning" as attackers can exploit this weakness to establish unauthorized communication channels.
The implications extend beyond simple data interception, as the vulnerability can enable more sophisticated attacks including session hijacking, credential theft, and data manipulation. Mobile applications that rely on secure communication for user authentication and data protection are particularly at risk, as attackers can exploit this weakness to impersonate legitimate servers and gain unauthorized access to user accounts. The vulnerability also affects the application's ability to maintain data integrity and confidentiality, as the lack of certificate verification means that any data transmitted over SSL connections could be compromised. Organizations should consider implementing comprehensive security measures including certificate pinning, regular security audits, and proper SSL/TLS configuration to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in their mobile applications. The flaw demonstrates the critical importance of proper cryptographic implementation in mobile security and highlights the need for robust certificate validation mechanisms in all applications that handle sensitive user information.