CVE-2014-7441 in Pakan Ken Tube
Summary
by MITRE
The Pakan Ken Tube (aka com.PakanKen) 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7441 affects the Pakan Ken Tube Android application version 0.1, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process that should occur when establishing secure connections between the mobile application and remote servers.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's inability to perform proper certificate chain validation and trust verification, which are fundamental components of secure communication in mobile applications. When an Android application establishes an SSL connection, it should validate the server's certificate against trusted certificate authorities and verify that the certificate is valid for the intended domain. The Pakan Ken Tube application bypasses these critical security checks, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This weakness directly violates industry security standards and best practices for mobile application security, as outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project and similar frameworks that emphasize the importance of proper certificate validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise sensitive user information and system resources. Attackers can exploit this flaw to impersonate legitimate servers and establish fraudulent connections with the application, potentially gaining access to user credentials, personal data, financial information, or other sensitive content that the application handles. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of communications between the mobile application and its backend services, making it particularly dangerous for applications that process sensitive user data or facilitate financial transactions. This weakness also undermines the overall security posture of the Android device, as compromised applications can serve as entry points for broader system exploitation.
Organizations and developers should address this vulnerability through comprehensive remediation strategies that align with established security frameworks such as those referenced in the CWE database under category CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation." The recommended mitigations include implementing proper certificate pinning mechanisms, ensuring that the application validates certificate chains against trusted authorities, and configuring the application to reject self-signed or untrusted certificates. Additionally, developers should consider implementing certificate transparency checks and regular security audits to prevent similar issues in future releases. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under the "Credential Access" and "Initial Access" domains, highlighting its potential for enabling broader attack vectors including data theft and system compromise. Organizations should also implement network monitoring and anomaly detection to identify potential exploitation attempts and maintain updated security policies that address mobile application security vulnerabilities.