CVE-2014-7555 in BLEND
Summary
by MITRE
The Apparound BLEND (aka com.apparound.mobile.catalogo) application 4.9.0 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.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/10/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7555 affects the Apparound BLEND mobile application version 4.9.0 for Android devices, 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 surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The vulnerability specifically impacts the application's certificate verification process, which is a fundamental component of secure network communication and cryptographic trust establishment.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's inability to perform proper certificate chain validation and trust verification when establishing secure connections to remote servers. This weakness allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged SSL certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The certificate verification process typically involves checking certificate authorities, expiration dates, domain name matching, and cryptographic signature validation, all of which are bypassed in this implementation. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation" in security protocols, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 for network service scanning and T1566 for credential access through social engineering attacks that exploit weak certificate validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive user information, including personal data, login credentials, and potentially financial information that the application may handle. The compromised trust model means that users cannot rely on the security guarantees provided by SSL/TLS encryption, undermining the entire security architecture of the mobile application. Attackers can exploit this weakness to redirect users to malicious servers, inject fraudulent content, or capture communications between the application and legitimate servers, potentially leading to identity theft, financial fraud, and corporate data breaches. The vulnerability affects the application's integrity and confidentiality assurances, which are fundamental requirements for mobile applications handling sensitive user data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application's SSL/TLS handling code. Organizations should implement certificate pinning techniques to ensure that only pre-approved certificates are accepted, thereby preventing attackers from using fraudulent certificates even if they can intercept communications. The application should be updated to validate certificate chains against trusted root certificate authorities, verify certificate expiration dates, and ensure proper domain name matching between the certificate and the target server. Additionally, developers should implement robust error handling for certificate validation failures and ensure that the application terminates connections when certificate verification fails. Security patches should be deployed immediately, and users should be notified of the vulnerability and the necessity of updating to a secure version of the application. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications and serves as a reminder of the essential role that certificate validation plays in maintaining secure communications in mobile environments.