CVE-2014-7566 in Stift Neuburg
Summary
by MITRE
The Stift Neuburg (aka de.appack.project.neuburg) application 1.1 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 • 10/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7566 represents a critical security flaw in the Stift Neuburg Android application version 1.1, specifically targeting the application's handling of secure communications. This issue falls under the category of insufficient certificate verification within the application's SSL/TLS implementation, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates from SSL servers constitutes a fundamental breakdown in the security infrastructure that should protect against malicious interference during network communications.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's complete absence of certificate validation mechanisms, which means that when establishing secure connections to remote servers, the application accepts any certificate presented without performing the necessary checks against trusted certificate authorities. This vulnerability directly violates established security protocols and best practices for secure mobile application development, as it allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The flaw stems from improper implementation of SSL/TLS security controls, where the application fails to validate certificate chains, check certificate expiration dates, or verify certificate signatures against trusted root certificates.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables sophisticated attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive user information and potentially manipulate application functionality. Attackers can exploit this weakness to redirect users to malicious servers, capture login credentials, access personal data, or even inject malicious content into the application's communications. The vulnerability affects all users of the application who engage in network communications, particularly those accessing sensitive information or performing transactions that require secure connections. This flaw creates persistent security risks that remain active as long as the vulnerable application version is in use, making it a particularly dangerous issue for organizations and individuals relying on the application for critical services.
The security implications of CVE-2014-7566 align with CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1041 for data compression and T1566 for credential access through social engineering. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to a patched version of the application, implementing network-level monitoring to detect suspicious certificate behavior, and educating users about the risks of using vulnerable applications. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the importance of following security standards such as those outlined in NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and the OWASP Mobile Security Project guidelines for secure mobile application development. The remediation process should involve comprehensive code review to ensure proper certificate validation implementation, integration of established certificate pinning mechanisms, and regular security assessments to prevent similar issues in future application releases.