CVE-2014-7664 in Bilingual Magic Ball Relajo
Summary
by MITRE
The Bilingual Magic Ball Relajo (aka com.wBilingualMagicBallRelajo) 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 • 10/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7664 affects the Bilingual Magic Ball Relajo Android application version 0.1, representing a critical security flaw in the application's secure communication implementation. This issue falls under the broader category of insecure cryptographic implementation practices that have been consistently documented in mobile application security assessments. The application's failure to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates creates a fundamental weakness in its security architecture, exposing users to significant risks during network communications. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process, which is a cornerstone of secure communication protocols designed to establish trust between client and server entities. According to CWE-295, this represents a weakness in certificate validation where the application fails to properly validate the authenticity and integrity of SSL certificates presented by remote servers.
The technical implementation flaw stems from the application's complete omission of X.509 certificate verification within its SSL/TLS handshake process. This means that when the application establishes secure connections to remote servers, it accepts any certificate presented without performing the necessary validation checks that should confirm the certificate's validity, proper signing authority, and matching domain names. The absence of certificate pinning, certificate chain validation, and hostname verification creates multiple attack vectors for malicious actors. An attacker positioned in the network traffic path can easily intercept communications and present a forged certificate that the application will accept without question, effectively bypassing the entire SSL security mechanism. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1573.002, which describes the use of unverified certificates to establish malicious communication channels.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables comprehensive man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise sensitive user information. Attackers can exploit this weakness to steal user credentials, personal data, financial information, or any other sensitive content transmitted through the application's network connections. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects the core security infrastructure of the application, making it impossible for users to trust the authenticity of their communications. Mobile applications that rely on network connectivity for functionality are especially vulnerable since they often handle sensitive personal information and financial transactions. The lack of certificate verification means that even if the application uses HTTPS, the security benefits are nullified, creating a false sense of security for users who believe their data is protected.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms within the application. Developers must implement certificate pinning to ensure that only specific certificates or certificate authorities are accepted for connections. The application should perform comprehensive X.509 certificate validation including chain of trust verification, hostname matching, and expiration date checks. Additionally, implementing certificate transparency and using secure certificate management practices can help prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual certificate behavior and establish proper security testing protocols that include SSL certificate validation checks. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to established security standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project and NIST guidelines for mobile application security. The remediation process should involve thorough code review, security testing, and potentially a complete reimplementation of the SSL/TLS connection handling components to ensure proper certificate validation is enforced throughout all network communications.