CVE-2014-7804 in Gangsta Auto Thief III
Summary
by MITRE
The Gangsta Auto Thief III (aka com.apptreestudios.gdup3) application 1.1 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 • 10/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7804 affects the Gangsta Auto Thief III Android application version 1.1, specifically targeting its implementation of secure communication protocols. This application, designed for mobile devices, fails to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates during network connections, creating a fundamental security flaw that undermines the integrity of encrypted communications. The issue manifests in the application's inability to perform proper certificate verification, which is a critical component of the Transport Layer Security protocol stack that ensures secure data transmission between client and server.
The technical flaw represents a failure in certificate chain validation, where the application accepts any certificate presented by a server without proper verification against trusted certificate authorities. This weakness allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting a maliciously crafted certificate that appears legitimate to the application. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and specifically demonstrates the dangerous practice of implementing weak or no certificate validation mechanisms. When an Android application fails to verify X.509 certificates properly, it creates an attack surface where adversaries can intercept and potentially modify sensitive data transmitted between the mobile client and remote servers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant, as it exposes users to potential data theft and privacy breaches. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept communications containing sensitive information such as user credentials, personal data, financial details, or other confidential content transmitted through the application. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity of data in transit, which violates fundamental security principles established by the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041, which covers "Exfiltration Over C2 Channel." Mobile applications that fail to implement proper SSL certificate validation create persistent security risks for users and organizations, as the compromised application can serve as a vector for broader network infiltration attempts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper certificate validation mechanisms within the Android application. Developers must ensure that the application performs comprehensive certificate chain validation against trusted certificate authorities, implements certificate pinning where appropriate, and enforces strict verification of server certificates before establishing secure connections. The fix should align with industry best practices outlined in OWASP Mobile Top 10 and the Android Security Best Practices documentation, which emphasize the importance of proper SSL/TLS implementation. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect potential man-in-the-middle attacks and establish regular security audits to identify similar certificate validation weaknesses in other applications. Additionally, the application should be updated to use modern security libraries that properly handle certificate verification and should undergo thorough security testing including penetration testing and vulnerability scanning to ensure the implementation addresses all potential attack vectors.