CVE-2016-7805 in mobiGate App
Summary
by MITRE
The mobiGate App for Android version 2.2.1.2 and earlier and mobiGate App for iOS version 2.2.4.1 and earlier do 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 • 10/15/2019
The mobiGate mobile application vulnerability CVE-2016-7805 represents a critical security flaw in the implementation of SSL/TLS certificate validation across both android and ios platforms. This vulnerability affects versions 2.2.1.2 and earlier for android and 2.2.4.1 and earlier for ios, creating a significant attack surface that enables malicious actors to exploit the application's failure to properly validate server certificates. The core issue lies in the application's inability to perform proper certificate chain validation, which is fundamental to establishing secure communications between mobile clients and backend servers. This weakness directly violates industry standards for secure communication protocols and creates an environment where attackers can easily intercept and manipulate sensitive data transmitted through the application.
The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of X.509 certificate verification mechanisms within the mobile application's SSL/TLS implementation. When the mobiGate application establishes connections to servers, it fails to validate the presented certificates against trusted certificate authorities, check certificate expiration dates, or verify certificate signatures. This vulnerability stems from improper implementation of the underlying SSL/TLS libraries, where the application essentially accepts any certificate presented by a server without performing the required cryptographic verification steps. The flaw operates at the transport layer security validation level, specifically targeting the certificate validation process that should occur during the SSL handshake phase. According to the CWE database, this corresponds to CWE-295 which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," making this vulnerability a well-documented weakness in secure communication implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data interception, as it creates a complete man-in-the-middle attack vector that allows adversaries to establish fraudulent connections with legitimate servers. Attackers can generate and present crafted certificates that appear to be from trusted entities, enabling them to transparently intercept, modify, or redirect all communications between the mobile application and backend services. This capability allows for comprehensive data theft including user credentials, personal information, financial data, and any other sensitive content transmitted through the vulnerable application. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects both mobile operating systems simultaneously, suggesting a systemic issue in the application's security architecture rather than isolated platform-specific problems. Security professionals can map this vulnerability to ATT&CK technique T1041 which covers "Exfiltration Over Command and Control Channel" and T1566 which addresses "Phishing for Information" through the exploitation of trust relationships established through certificate validation failures.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-7805 require immediate attention through comprehensive application updates and security protocol improvements. The primary solution involves implementing proper certificate validation mechanisms that verify certificate chains against trusted root certificates, check certificate expiration dates, and ensure certificate signatures are valid. Organizations should implement certificate pinning techniques to prevent the acceptance of unauthorized certificates, which provides an additional layer of protection beyond standard certificate validation. The application should be updated to use modern SSL/TLS libraries that properly implement certificate validation according to industry standards such as RFC 5280 for X.509 certificate handling. Security measures should also include monitoring for unauthorized certificate usage and implementing network-level controls to detect and prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of connecting to untrusted networks and the importance of verifying certificate warnings, though the ultimate responsibility lies in implementing proper cryptographic validation within the application itself. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper implementation of cryptographic security measures in mobile applications, as this flaw represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture that could be exploited to compromise user data and system integrity.