CVE-2016-1198 in Photopt
Summary
by MITRE
Photopt for Android before 2.0.1 does not verify SSL certificates.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1198 affects Photopt for Android versions prior to 2.0.1, representing a critical security flaw in the application's handling of secure communications. This issue falls under the category of improper certificate validation, which creates a significant attack surface for man-in-the-middle adversaries seeking to intercept or manipulate data transmitted between the mobile application and remote servers. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates during network communications, potentially allowing attackers to establish fraudulent connections with malicious servers while maintaining the appearance of legitimate communication.
The technical implementation flaw manifests in the application's network security architecture where SSL certificate verification mechanisms are either completely absent or inadequately implemented. This weakness enables attackers to perform SSL stripping attacks or establish rogue certificate authorities that can successfully impersonate legitimate servers without triggering security warnings to end users. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295 which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041 which covers data compression and encryption techniques used to exfiltrate data from compromised systems. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can intercept sensitive user data, credentials, or personal information transmitted through the application's network connections.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the security model that users expect from mobile applications handling sensitive information. Users of Photopt for Android versions prior to 2.0.1 face risks including credential theft, data breaches, and potential account takeovers when connecting to servers that rely on SSL/TLS encryption for security. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where users connect to public networks or untrusted Wi-Fi networks, as these conditions make the exploitation more likely and successful. Additionally, the flaw can enable attackers to inject malicious content into application communications, potentially leading to further exploitation through supply chain attacks or privilege escalation within the application's functionality.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate application updates to version 2.0.1 or later, which should implement proper SSL certificate validation mechanisms including certificate pinning and chain-of-trust verification. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider deploying additional security controls such as network segmentation and intrusion detection systems. The fix should incorporate proper certificate validation routines that verify certificate signatures, expiration dates, and certificate authority trust chains as specified in industry standards for secure mobile application development. Security teams should conduct thorough testing of the updated application to ensure that certificate validation functions correctly across different network environments and server configurations, while also reviewing other potential security flaws that may exist in the application's overall security architecture.