CVE-2014-7446 in Bilingual Magic Ball
Summary
by MITRE
The Bilingual Magic Ball (aka com.wBilingualMagicBall) 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.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7446 affects the Bilingual Magic Ball Android application version 0.1, specifically targeting its implementation of secure communication protocols. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in the application's handling of encrypted network connections, where the software fails to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates presented by remote servers. The absence of certificate verification creates a dangerous attack surface that exposes users to sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks, where malicious actors can intercept and manipulate data transmission between the mobile application and its intended servers.
The technical implementation flaw stems from the application's failure to perform proper certificate chain validation and trust verification processes. When the application establishes SSL connections, it should validate that the server's certificate is issued by a trusted Certificate Authority and that it properly matches the target server's domain name. However, this particular application bypasses these essential security checks entirely, allowing any certificate to be accepted regardless of its authenticity or legitimacy. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which describes "Improper Certificate Validation" and falls under the broader category of weak cryptographic implementations in mobile applications. The flaw represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture and demonstrates poor adherence to established security best practices for mobile platform development.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, particularly for users who rely on the application for sensitive information handling or transactional activities. Attackers can exploit this weakness by presenting maliciously crafted certificates to intercept communications, potentially gaining access to personal data, login credentials, or financial information transmitted through the application. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in public Wi-Fi environments where network traffic interception is more prevalent, making the attack vector highly accessible to threat actors. This weakness creates a persistent risk for users and organizations, as the vulnerability exists in the application's core communication logic and affects all versions that fail to implement proper certificate validation mechanisms. The attack surface extends beyond simple data theft to include potential session hijacking, credential theft, and broader exploitation of the application's functionality.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms within the application's network communication layer. The recommended approach involves implementing robust certificate pinning techniques that validate certificate chains against trusted CAs and maintain a whitelist of acceptable certificates. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate transparency checks and regular security audits to ensure proper implementation of secure communication protocols. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques related to credential access and defense evasion, as attackers can use it to bypass security controls and access sensitive data. The fix should include comprehensive testing of the certificate validation logic, implementation of proper error handling for certificate failures, and regular updates to maintain trust in the certificate validation process. Additionally, developers should adopt secure coding practices that emphasize the importance of cryptographic security in mobile applications and establish clear guidelines for handling network communications to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future releases.