CVE-2014-7495 in Beginnings
Summary
by MITRE
The LogosQuest - Beginnings (aka com.wLogosQuest) application 1.0 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-2014-7495 affects the LogosQuest - Beginnings Android application version 1.0, specifically targeting its implementation of secure communication protocols. This represents a critical security flaw in the application's approach to establishing trust with remote servers, as it fails to properly validate the authenticity of SSL/TLS certificates presented during secure connections. The application's failure to perform X.509 certificate verification creates a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise the confidentiality and integrity of data transmitted between the mobile application and its backend services.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the application's improper handling of SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanisms within the Android platform's security framework. When an Android application establishes a secure connection to a server, it should verify the server's X.509 certificate against a trusted certificate authority to ensure the connection is genuinely established with the intended server. The LogosQuest application bypasses this essential verification step, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This flaw directly relates to CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security architecture that violates standard secure coding practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise user data, session tokens, and sensitive personal information. Attackers can exploit this weakness to establish fake server endpoints that appear authentic to the vulnerable application, potentially capturing login credentials, personal messages, financial data, or other confidential information transmitted through the application's secure channels. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of communications, undermining the fundamental security assurances that users expect when interacting with mobile applications that handle sensitive data. This weakness particularly impacts applications that rely on secure communication for user authentication, data synchronization, or transaction processing, as it creates opportunities for attackers to impersonate legitimate services.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's network communication layer. The fix involves implementing robust certificate pinning or proper certificate verification procedures that ensure all SSL/TLS connections validate server certificates against trusted authorities. Organizations should implement certificate transparency measures and consider implementing certificate pinning to prevent the acceptance of fraudulent certificates. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding guidelines and adhering to the principle of least privilege in mobile application security. The remediation process should include comprehensive security testing of all network communication components and adherence to industry standards such as those defined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project and NIST guidelines for mobile application security. Additionally, regular security audits and code reviews should be implemented to prevent similar issues in future development cycles, as this vulnerability represents a common but preventable flaw in mobile application security implementations.