CVE-2014-7499 in Sword
Summary
by MITRE
The Sword (aka com.ireadercity.c25) application 3.0.2 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-2014-7499 affects the Sword application version 3.0.2 for Android platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack vector for malicious actors seeking to compromise user data and system integrity. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process that is fundamental to establishing trust in secure communications between mobile applications and remote servers. When an application does not verify SSL certificates, it essentially removes the cryptographic assurance that the server presenting the certificate is indeed the legitimate entity it claims to be, thereby undermining the entire security framework designed to protect sensitive information transmission.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's inability to perform proper certificate chain validation, which is a core component of the Transport Layer Security protocol implementation. This weakness allows attackers to execute man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The certificate validation process typically involves checking the certificate's authenticity through trusted certificate authorities, verifying the certificate's expiration date, confirming the certificate's intended use through key usage and extended key usage fields, and ensuring the certificate chain is properly signed and trusted. When these validations are bypassed or omitted, attackers can create malicious certificates that the application accepts without proper scrutiny, effectively enabling them to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive data transmitted between the mobile device and target servers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to encompass potential complete system compromise and user data theft. Mobile applications that fail to validate SSL certificates become vulnerable to various attack vectors including credential theft, session hijacking, and data manipulation. Users of the Sword application may unknowingly transmit sensitive information such as personal data, login credentials, financial information, or proprietary content through insecure channels that attackers can monitor and exploit. The vulnerability particularly affects applications that handle sensitive user information or conduct financial transactions, as the lack of certificate verification creates an environment where attackers can seamlessly impersonate legitimate services without detection. This vulnerability also enables attackers to perform deep packet inspection and manipulation of communications, potentially leading to more sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting or malware distribution through compromised communication channels.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1041 for Exfiltration Over C2 Channel and T1566 for Phishing. The vulnerability represents a failure in the application's secure coding practices and demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms in mobile applications. Organizations should implement comprehensive security measures including regular code reviews, automated vulnerability scanning, and proper implementation of certificate pinning techniques to prevent such issues. Additionally, developers must ensure that all SSL/TLS connections in mobile applications perform thorough certificate validation, including checking certificate authorities, expiration dates, and certificate chain integrity. The remediation approach should include implementing proper certificate validation libraries, establishing certificate pinning strategies, and conducting regular security assessments to ensure that applications maintain secure communication channels with remote servers.