CVE-2014-7692 in Lent Experience
Summary
by MITRE
The Lent Experience (aka com.wLentExperience) 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 • 10/15/2024
The lent experience android application version 0.1 contains a critical security vulnerability that fundamentally undermines the integrity of secure communications between the mobile client and remote servers. This flaw represents a severe deviation from established security protocols and exposes users to significant risk of data interception and manipulation. The application's failure to properly validate ssl certificates creates a pathway for malicious actors to establish fraudulent connections while appearing legitimate to end users. This vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification mechanism that should ensure trust between the mobile application and web services it communicates with, effectively disabling the cryptographic security measures designed to protect sensitive information exchanges.
The technical implementation flaw resides in the application's ssl certificate validation process where it completely bypasses x509 certificate verification procedures. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols. When the application establishes ssl connections, it fails to perform the necessary certificate chain validation, hostname checking, or trust anchor verification that cryptographic security standards require. Attackers can exploit this weakness by presenting forged certificates that appear to be from legitimate servers, allowing them to intercept and potentially modify all data transmitted between the mobile application and target servers. The absence of proper certificate pinning or validation means that any certificate issued by a trusted authority can be accepted without scrutiny, creating a dangerous trust relationship that can be easily compromised.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to encompass complete compromise of user privacy and data integrity. Mobile applications that rely on secure communication channels for authentication, data synchronization, or personal information handling become vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks that can result in credential theft, financial data exposure, or personal information compromise. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the attack pattern taxonomy under mitre attack framework where adversaries establish persistent access through cryptographic deception. The risk is particularly severe for applications handling sensitive user data as attackers can seamlessly impersonate legitimate services while maintaining access to all transmitted information. The vulnerability essentially removes the cryptographic assurance that users expect when connecting to secure services, making all communications susceptible to unauthorized access and manipulation.
Security mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper ssl certificate validation mechanisms within the application. The recommended approach involves implementing certificate pinning to ensure that only specific certificates or certificate authorities are accepted for validation, thereby preventing attackers from using forged certificates to establish fraudulent connections. Additionally, the application should enforce strict hostname validation and certificate chain verification procedures that align with industry standards such as those specified in rfc 5280 for x509 certificate validation. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate transparency monitoring to detect unauthorized certificate issuance that could be used to exploit this vulnerability. The remediation process must include comprehensive code review to identify all ssl connection points and ensure proper certificate validation is implemented across all network communication channels. Regular security testing and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that certificate validation mechanisms remain effective against evolving attack techniques and that the application maintains proper cryptographic security posture throughout its lifecycle.