CVE-2014-7716 in Ultimate Christian Radios
Summary
by MITRE
The Ultimate Christian Radios (aka com.ngg.ultimatechristianradios) application 1.0.1 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.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7716 affects the Ultimate Christian Radios Android application version 1.0.1, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. 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 is categorized under CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in secure communication implementations, making it a direct descendant of well-established certificate validation weaknesses that have plagued mobile applications for years.
The technical flaw manifests when the application establishes connections to remote servers using SSL/TLS encryption. Instead of performing proper certificate chain validation, the application accepts any certificate presented by the server without verifying its authenticity, trustworthiness, or proper signing authority. This weakness allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The attack occurs at the transport layer where SSL/TLS is supposed to provide cryptographic protection, but due to the flawed certificate verification process, the security assurances are completely undermined.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it enables attackers to obtain sensitive information that users might transmit through the application. This includes personal data, login credentials, payment information, or any other confidential data that users might input while using the radio streaming service. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for mobile applications that handle user authentication or transmit sensitive information, as it essentially removes the cryptographic protection that users expect when connecting to secure services. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish transparent proxy connections that allow them to monitor, modify, or steal all communication between the application and its servers.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application. The recommended approach involves implementing certificate pinning, where the application maintains a trusted list of certificate fingerprints or public keys that are expected to be present in valid certificates. Additionally, the application should enforce standard certificate chain validation procedures that check certificate expiration dates, issuer authenticity, and proper digital signatures. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate transparency checks and regular security audits to ensure that certificate validation is properly maintained. This vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1041 for data encryption and T1566 for credential access through man-in-the-middle attacks, highlighting the broader implications of such flaws in mobile security frameworks. The remediation process should follow industry best practices for secure mobile application development and should include thorough testing of certificate validation mechanisms to ensure they properly detect and reject invalid or forged certificates.