CVE-2014-7756 in Radiohead Fan
Summary
by MITRE
The Radiohead fan (aka nl.jborsje.android.bandnews.radiohead) application 4.6.2 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 • 10/17/2024
The CVE-2014-7756 vulnerability affects the Radiohead fan application version 4.6.2 for Android devices, representing a critical security flaw in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols. This vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections, creating a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The issue manifests when the application establishes connections to remote servers, particularly those utilizing HTTPS or SSL protocols for secure data transmission.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability resides in the application's cryptographic implementation where it bypasses the standard certificate validation process that should occur during SSL handshakes. Normally, Android applications should verify certificate chains against trusted Certificate Authorities and perform hostname verification to ensure that the server presenting the certificate is indeed the legitimate entity it claims to be. However, this application fails to execute these crucial validation steps, effectively disabling the security mechanisms designed to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive communications. This behavior directly violates the principles of secure communication as outlined in industry standards such as CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in SSL/TLS implementations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, particularly within the context of mobile security and user privacy protection. Attackers can exploit this weakness through man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting forged certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. This allows them to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive information transmitted between the user's device and the application's servers, including personal data, authentication credentials, or any other information exchanged over secure channels. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a fan application that likely handles user accounts, preferences, and potentially personal communications, making it attractive to threat actors seeking to exploit user trust and access sensitive personal information.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to credential access and defense evasion. The ability to spoof servers and obtain sensitive information through certificate manipulation represents a sophisticated attack vector that can be leveraged for various malicious purposes including identity theft, data exfiltration, and further system compromise. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor security hygiene in mobile application development, where developers fail to implement proper cryptographic security measures that are fundamental to protecting user data in transit. Organizations and developers should consider this vulnerability as a prime example of why secure coding practices and proper implementation of cryptographic protocols are essential, especially when dealing with applications that handle sensitive user information or facilitate secure communications.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate attention from both application developers and end-users. Developers must implement proper certificate validation mechanisms that verify certificate chains against trusted CAs and perform hostname verification during SSL/TLS connections. This includes updating the application to use Android's built-in certificate pinning mechanisms or implementing custom validation logic that properly checks certificate signatures, expiration dates, and issuer information. End-users should avoid using the vulnerable application until a patched version is released, and security-conscious organizations should consider implementing network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, this vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security assessments and code reviews specifically focused on cryptographic implementations to prevent similar issues from occurring in future development cycles.