CVE-2014-7497 in Portfolium
Summary
by MITRE
The Portfolium (aka com.wPortfolium) 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 • 10/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7497 affects the Portfolium Android application version 0.1, specifically targeting its implementation of secure communication protocols. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in the application's cryptographic handshake process, where the software fails to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates presented by remote servers. The absence of certificate verification creates a significant attack vector that undermines the fundamental security assurances provided by Transport Layer Security protocols.
This vulnerability stems from improper implementation of certificate validation mechanisms within the application's network communication stack. When the Portfolium app establishes connections to remote servers, it should validate the server's X.509 certificate against trusted certificate authorities and verify that the certificate matches the expected domain. However, the application bypasses these critical validation steps, allowing attackers to present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application. The flaw essentially disables the certificate pinning and validation features that are standard security measures in secure mobile applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it enables sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise sensitive user data and communications. Attackers positioned between the mobile device and target servers can intercept and modify data flows without detection, potentially accessing personal information, authentication credentials, or other confidential data transmitted through the application. This weakness particularly affects applications handling sensitive user information, as the vulnerability allows adversaries to establish fake server identities and capture communications intended for legitimate services. The implications extend beyond simple data interception to include potential account takeovers, session hijacking, and broader data compromise scenarios.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-295, which addresses improper certificate validation, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices outlined in various security standards including those from the OWASP Mobile Security Project and NIST guidelines for mobile application security. The attack pattern corresponds to techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the 'Initial Access' and 'Credential Access' domains, where adversaries exploit weak cryptographic implementations to gain unauthorized access to systems and data. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including certificate pinning, proper validation of SSL certificates, and comprehensive network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts.
The remediation approach requires complete reimplementation of the application's SSL/TLS certificate validation logic, ensuring that all certificate checks are properly enforced before establishing secure connections. Security patches should include mandatory certificate verification procedures, implementation of certificate pinning where appropriate, and thorough testing of cryptographic implementations against known attack vectors. Additionally, the application should be updated to use modern secure communication libraries and frameworks that properly handle certificate validation, while also implementing proper error handling and logging mechanisms to detect potential certificate validation failures. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure ongoing compliance with security standards and to identify potential vulnerabilities in the cryptographic implementation.