CVE-2014-7700 in Flying Fox
Summary
by MITRE
The Flying Fox (aka com.chillingo.slyfoxfree.android.aja) application 1.0.0 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-7700 represents a critical security flaw in the Flying Fox Android application version 1.0.0 that directly impacts the application's secure communication mechanisms. This issue falls under the category of improper certificate validation, where the application fails to properly verify the authenticity of SSL/TLS certificates presented by servers during secure connections. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it creates an attack surface that enables man-in-the-middle attacks, allowing malicious actors to impersonate legitimate servers and intercept sensitive data transmitted between the application and its backend services.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to implement proper certificate chain validation and trust verification processes. When an Android application establishes SSL connections, it should validate certificates against trusted certificate authorities and ensure that the certificate presented matches the expected server identity. The Flying Fox application bypasses these essential security checks, effectively trusting any certificate presented by a server regardless of its legitimacy. This behavior aligns with CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation" and represents a fundamental failure in the application's cryptographic security implementation. The vulnerability manifests when the application accepts certificates without verifying their digital signatures, checking expiration dates, or ensuring proper certificate authority chains.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the security model that users expect from mobile applications. Attackers can exploit this weakness by presenting maliciously crafted certificates to the application, potentially gaining access to user credentials, personal information, financial data, or other sensitive content. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in mobile environments where applications often handle sensitive user data and communicate with backend services that may contain confidential information. The attack vector is relatively simple to execute, requiring only the ability to intercept network traffic and present a forged certificate, making it an attractive target for threat actors. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to technique T1566.001, which covers "Phishing via Service Provider" and T1557.001, "Adversary-in-the-Middle", demonstrating how the flaw enables sophisticated attack patterns.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust certificate validation mechanisms within the application's SSL/TLS communication stack. Developers must ensure that all certificates are verified against trusted certificate authorities, that certificate chains are properly validated, and that hostname verification is performed to prevent certificate spoofing attacks. The application should implement proper certificate pinning techniques where possible, and all SSL/TLS connections should be configured to reject self-signed certificates or certificates from untrusted authorities. Security patches should enforce certificate validation at the application level, and developers should regularly update their cryptographic libraries to ensure compliance with current security standards. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect potential man-in-the-middle attacks and establish procedures for rapid response to security incidents involving certificate validation failures. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications and the potential consequences of neglecting secure communication practices in the mobile security landscape.