CVE-2017-16905 in TinyCards
Summary
by MITRE
The DuoLingo TinyCards application before 1.0 for Android has one use of unencrypted HTTP, which allows remote attackers to spoof content, and consequently achieve remote code execution, via a man-in-the-middle attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-16905 affects the DuoLingo TinyCards Android application prior to version 1.0, representing a critical security flaw that exposes users to significant remote exploitation risks. This weakness stems from the application's improper handling of network communications through unencrypted HTTP protocols, creating an attack surface that adversaries can leverage for malicious activities. The vulnerability specifically manifests in the application's failure to implement secure communication channels, thereby compromising the integrity and confidentiality of data transmitted between the mobile client and remote servers.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the application's reliance on HTTP rather than HTTPS for network communications, which creates multiple attack vectors that align with common security vulnerabilities classified under CWE-319. When users interact with the application, their data travels over unencrypted channels where attackers can intercept, modify, or inject malicious content. This unencrypted communication pathway enables sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks that exploit the fundamental weakness in the application's security architecture. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution vector demonstrates the severity of the flaw, as attackers can potentially gain full control over the affected application's execution environment through content spoofing techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it fundamentally undermines the trust model that mobile applications rely upon for secure user interactions. Attackers exploiting this weakness can manipulate application content in real-time, potentially redirecting users to malicious websites, injecting harmful code, or modifying application behavior to serve phishing content. This capability directly aligns with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the 'T1071.004 - Application Layer Protocol: DNS' and 'T1557.001 - Adversary-in-the-Middle: Local Network Configuration' techniques, where network traffic interception leads to privilege escalation and system compromise. The vulnerability affects the application's integrity and availability, potentially causing users to unknowingly execute malicious code while believing they are interacting with legitimate application functionality.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of secure communication protocols throughout the application's network architecture. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to HTTPS implementations for all network communications, ensuring that certificates are properly validated and that secure key exchange mechanisms are employed. The fix should include comprehensive network security monitoring to detect and prevent man-in-the-middle attacks, alongside regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. Additionally, the implementation of certificate pinning techniques can provide an extra layer of protection against certificate-based attacks, while network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to minimize the potential attack surface. Security awareness training for development teams should emphasize secure coding practices and the importance of implementing encrypted communications from the initial design phases of mobile applications, as outlined in industry best practices from NIST SP 800-53 and OWASP Mobile Security Project guidelines.