CVE-2014-7702 in ahtty
Summary
by MITRE
The ahtty (aka com.crevation.babylon.ahtty) application 1.97.16 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 identified as CVE-2014-7702 affects the ahtty application version 1.97.16 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack vector for malicious actors. The vulnerability specifically impacts the cryptographic verification process that should ensure secure communication channels between the mobile client and remote servers. According to CWE-295, this represents a weakness in certificate validation mechanisms, where the application fails to implement proper certificate chain validation or trust verification procedures that are fundamental to secure network communications.
The technical implementation flaw manifests when the application establishes SSL connections to remote servers without performing adequate certificate verification. This allows attackers to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The certificate validation process typically involves checking certificate signatures, verifying the certificate authority chain, confirming certificate expiration dates, and ensuring the certificate matches the target server. However, in this case, the ahtty application bypasses these essential checks, enabling attackers to intercept and potentially modify communications between the Android device and target servers. The vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1573.002, which describes the use of unencrypted or weakly encrypted communications to avoid detection while maintaining access to target systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables comprehensive surveillance and data manipulation capabilities for attackers. Mobile applications that rely on SSL connections for secure data transmission become vulnerable to various attack scenarios including credential theft, session hijacking, and sensitive data exfiltration. The implications are particularly severe for applications handling personal information, financial data, or corporate communications, as the vulnerability essentially nullifies the security guarantees provided by SSL/TLS encryption. Attackers can exploit this weakness to impersonate legitimate services, redirect users to malicious sites, or capture sensitive information transmitted over the network. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for lateral movement within networks where the compromised device serves as a communication endpoint for other systems. Organizations using this application face significant risk exposure, particularly in environments where secure communications are critical for maintaining data integrity and confidentiality. The lack of certificate verification creates a persistent security gap that remains exploitable until proper certificate validation mechanisms are implemented and deployed across all affected versions of the application.