CVE-2014-7481 in ETG Hosting
Summary
by MITRE
The ETG Hosting (aka com.etg.web.hosting) application 2.0 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 • 10/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7481 affects the ETG Hosting application version 2.0 for Android platforms, representing 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 malicious actors can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity.
The technical flaw resides in the application's cryptographic implementation where it bypasses standard certificate verification procedures that are essential for establishing trust in secure communications. When an Android application establishes an SSL connection to a server, it should validate the server's X.509 certificate against a trusted certificate authority to ensure the authenticity of the endpoint. The ETG Hosting application fails to perform this validation step, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295 which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation" and represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security architecture that violates core principles of secure communication protocols.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it enables man-in-the-middle attacks that can result in complete compromise of user sessions and sensitive data interception. Attackers can create malicious SSL certificates that mimic legitimate servers, allowing them to decrypt and modify communications between the vulnerable Android application and its intended servers. This creates opportunities for credential theft, session hijacking, data exfiltration, and other malicious activities that can affect both individual users and enterprise environments where the application might be deployed. The vulnerability essentially undermines the entire purpose of SSL/TLS encryption, rendering the security mechanisms ineffective against determined attackers.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers "Phishing for Information" and T1041 which addresses "Exfiltration Over Command and Control Channel". The attack vector enables adversaries to establish persistent access points through certificate spoofing, potentially allowing for long-term surveillance and data harvesting. Organizations using this application face significant risk of data breaches and compliance violations, particularly in environments where sensitive information such as personal data, financial records, or proprietary business information is transmitted through the vulnerable application.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application, including the use of certificate pinning techniques to prevent the acceptance of unauthorized certificates. The application should be updated to include robust certificate verification routines that check certificate chains against trusted certificate authorities and implement certificate transparency checks. Additionally, developers should consider implementing certificate revocation checking and regular security audits of cryptographic implementations. The fix should align with industry best practices established by NIST SP 800-52 and OWASP Mobile Security Project guidelines for secure mobile application development, ensuring that all SSL/TLS connections properly validate server certificates and maintain secure communication channels against active attacks.