CVE-2014-7457 in Electronics For You
Summary
by MITRE
The Electronics For You (aka com.magzter.electronicsforyou) application 3.02 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 • 10/07/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7457 resides within the Electronics For You Android application version 3.02, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. 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 integrity and confidentiality. The vulnerability specifically affects the certificate verification process, which is fundamental to establishing trust in secure network communications.
The technical flaw manifests as a missing certificate validation mechanism that should normally verify the authenticity and integrity of SSL certificates presented by remote servers. When an application fails to properly validate X.509 certificates, it essentially disables the cryptographic security controls that protect against man-in-the-middle attacks. This weakness allows attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application, enabling them to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive information transmitted between the user's device and the application's servers. The vulnerability directly corresponds to CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and represents a failure in the application's secure communication implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it enables comprehensive attack vectors that can compromise user privacy and system integrity. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform session hijacking, inject malicious content, or redirect users to fraudulent websites that appear to be legitimate. The affected application's users become vulnerable to various forms of cyber attacks including credential theft, financial data compromise, and corporate espionage. This vulnerability particularly impacts mobile users who may be accessing sensitive information through public networks, where the risk of interception is significantly higher. The attack surface is further expanded because the vulnerability affects the application's core security infrastructure rather than just specific functions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-7457 require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application. Developers should implement certificate pinning to ensure that only specific certificates or certificate authorities are accepted for secure connections. The application must validate certificate chains against trusted root certificates and implement proper certificate expiration checks. Additionally, network security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual certificate behavior patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level protections such as SSL inspection and certificate monitoring tools. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1041 for Exfiltration Over C2 Channel and T1566 for Phishing, as attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access and conduct social engineering campaigns. The remediation process should include comprehensive code review and security testing to ensure that all SSL/TLS connections properly validate certificates and implement industry-standard security practices.