CVE-2016-4829 in Movie Player App
Summary
by MITRE
DMM Movie Player App for Android before 1.2.1, and DMM Movie Player App for iPhone/iPad before 2.1.3 does not verify SSL certificates.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4829 affects mobile applications developed by DMM for both android and ios platforms, specifically targeting their movie player applications. This security flaw resides in the certificate verification mechanisms implemented within these media playback applications, creating a significant risk for users who rely on these apps for accessing digital content. The affected versions include DMM Movie Player App for Android prior to version 1.2.1 and the corresponding ios applications prior to version 2.1.3, indicating that the issue was present across multiple mobile operating systems and platforms.
The core technical flaw involves the absence of proper SSL/TLS certificate validation within the application's network communication stack. When mobile applications fail to verify SSL certificates, they become vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks where attackers can intercept and potentially modify data transmitted between the client application and remote servers. This weakness allows malicious actors to establish fraudulent connections with the application servers, potentially redirecting users to malicious websites or injecting harmful content into the media streaming process. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it compromises the integrity and confidentiality of user sessions within the DMM Movie Player applications. Users accessing premium content through these applications face risks of unauthorized access to their accounts, potential exposure of personal information, and possible redirection to phishing sites that mimic legitimate DMM services. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in mobile environments where network connections may be less secure, and users often access applications over public wifi networks or cellular data connections that are susceptible to interception attacks. This flaw also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041, which covers data from network connections, and T1566, which involves spearphishing with a malicious attachment or link, as the compromised applications could be used as attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected applications to implement proper SSL certificate verification mechanisms. Organizations should ensure that all network communications within mobile applications validate server certificates against trusted certificate authorities and implement certificate pinning where appropriate to prevent certificate substitution attacks. Additionally, security teams should conduct comprehensive network monitoring to detect any suspicious traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should also include user education about the risks of using outdated applications and the importance of keeping software updated. Security frameworks such as OWASP Mobile Top 10 should be referenced to ensure proper implementation of secure coding practices, particularly focusing on mobile security controls related to network communication and certificate validation. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that the certificate validation mechanisms remain effective against evolving attack techniques.