CVE-2014-7713 in Skin
Summary
by MITRE
The Skin&Ink Magazine (aka com.triactivemedia.skinandink) application @7F08017A 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-2014-7713 affects the Skin&Ink Magazine Android application version 7F08017A, representing a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. This issue manifests as a failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack vector for malicious actors seeking to compromise user data. The application's insecure implementation of certificate verification exposes users to potential man-in-the-middle attacks where attackers can establish fraudulent connections with the application's backend services.
This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communications. The flaw occurs at the SSL/TLS implementation level where the application fails to perform proper certificate chain validation, hostname verification, or trust anchor validation. Attackers can exploit this weakness by presenting a maliciously crafted certificate that appears legitimate to the application, thereby bypassing the security mechanisms designed to protect against unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability essentially undermines the fundamental security principles of public key infrastructure by allowing certificate validation to be circumvented without proper cryptographic verification.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to encompass complete compromise of user privacy and data integrity. When users interact with the application's network services, their communications become susceptible to eavesdropping, data modification, and identity spoofing attacks. The application may be tricked into believing that a malicious server is legitimate, allowing attackers to intercept, modify, or redirect user requests to malicious endpoints. This creates opportunities for credential theft, session hijacking, and the exfiltration of personally identifiable information or other sensitive data that the application handles during normal operation.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation procedures within the application's SSL/TLS stack. Developers must ensure that all X.509 certificates are validated against trusted certificate authorities, that hostname verification is performed using the Subject Alternative Name or Common Name fields, and that certificate chains are properly validated. The application should implement certificate pinning where appropriate to prevent substitution of certificates even if they are technically valid. Additionally, security teams should conduct comprehensive code reviews to identify other potential SSL/TLS implementation flaws and ensure that all network communications utilize proper cryptographic protocols. This vulnerability serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of proper certificate validation in mobile applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers credential harvesting through man-in-the-middle attacks, emphasizing the need for robust cryptographic implementation in mobile security frameworks.