CVE-2014-7430 in Flood-It
Summary
by MITRE
The Flood-It (aka com.appspot.eoltek.flood) application 4.2 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-2014-7430 resides within the Flood-It application version 4.2 for Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanism. This weakness fundamentally undermines the cryptographic security assurances that users expect when communicating with remote servers over encrypted channels. The application's failure to properly verify X.509 certificates from SSL servers creates a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise the integrity and confidentiality of data transmitted between the mobile client and backend services.
This vulnerability directly corresponds to CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," a well-documented weakness in cryptographic implementations that allows attackers to bypass certificate verification processes. The flaw operates at the core of the application's network security architecture, where it should be performing mandatory certificate chain validation and hostname verification but instead accepts any certificate presented by a server. This omission enables man-in-the-middle attacks where adversaries can establish fraudulent SSL connections with the application, effectively positioning themselves between the legitimate user and the intended server.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it creates opportunities for comprehensive session hijacking and credential theft. Attackers can craft malicious certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application, allowing them to capture sensitive user information including login credentials, personal data, and any other information transmitted through the insecure connection. The implications are particularly severe for applications handling financial transactions, personal identification, or confidential communications, as the vulnerability essentially nullifies all SSL/TLS protections that users rely upon for secure communication.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1046 category of "Network Service Scanning' and T1566 for 'Phishing with Spoofed Credentials', as attackers can leverage the certificate validation bypass to create convincing fake server environments. The attack vector requires minimal sophistication, as the vulnerability exists in the application's default configuration without requiring complex exploit development. Security professionals should note that this represents a classic case of insufficient cryptographic implementation, where the application fails to enforce proper certificate pinning or validation protocols that would normally prevent such attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate security gap and the underlying architectural weakness in the application's SSL implementation. Organizations should implement certificate pinning mechanisms that explicitly validate server certificates against known good certificates or public key fingerprints, thereby preventing attackers from substituting malicious certificates. Additionally, the application should be updated to enforce standard certificate validation procedures including chain of trust verification, hostname matching, and expiration date checks. The remediation process should include comprehensive code review to ensure all network communications properly validate SSL certificates and implement proper error handling when certificate validation fails, as this vulnerability demonstrates a complete absence of such protective measures in the affected application's network security implementation.