CVE-2014-7758 in AMKAMAL Science Portfolio
Summary
by MITRE
The AMKAMAL Science Portfolio (aka com.wAMKAMALSciencePortfolio) application 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7758 affects the AMKAMAL Science Portfolio Android application version 0.1, presenting a critical security flaw in the application's SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanism. This weakness resides in the application's failure to properly verify X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure communications, creating a significant attack surface that compromises the integrity of encrypted data transmission. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate verification process, which is fundamental to establishing trust in secure communications and preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information.
From a technical perspective, the flaw represents a failure in the application's cryptographic security implementation where the Android application does not perform proper certificate chain validation or trust verification. This allows attackers to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting crafted certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The absence of certificate pinning or proper certificate validation routines means that the application accepts any certificate presented by a server, regardless of its authenticity or trustworthiness. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041, which covers "Exfiltration Over C2 Channel" through compromised secure communications. The technical implementation appears to lack proper SSL/TLS validation mechanisms that would normally verify certificate signatures, expiration dates, and trust anchors against established certificate authorities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it enables attackers to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive data transmitted between the vulnerable application and remote servers. Mobile applications that rely on secure communication channels for user authentication, data synchronization, or confidential information exchange become particularly vulnerable to exploitation. An attacker positioned between the mobile device and the server can transparently intercept communications, potentially accessing user credentials, personal information, financial data, or proprietary content. The vulnerability is especially dangerous in contexts where the application handles sensitive user data, healthcare information, financial transactions, or enterprise data, as it provides attackers with a straightforward path to data compromise without requiring advanced exploitation techniques.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security architecture improvements. The primary fix involves implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms within the application, including certificate pinning for critical endpoints, proper certificate chain validation, and verification against trusted certificate authorities. Security professionals should implement certificate pinning to ensure that the application only accepts certificates from specific, trusted authorities or specific certificate fingerprints, preventing attackers from using forged certificates. Additionally, developers should integrate robust SSL/TLS validation libraries that properly handle certificate verification, including signature validation, expiration date checks, and certificate authority trust verification. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect potential man-in-the-middle attacks and establish secure communication protocols that enforce certificate validation at all network endpoints. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications, as outlined in industry standards such as the OWASP Mobile Security Project's M3 category, which focuses on insecure cryptographic storage and communication.