CVE-2017-2104 in Business LaLa Call App
Summary
by MITRE
The Business LaLa Call App for Android 1.4.7 and earlier 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 • 12/21/2020
The Business LaLa Call App for Android version 1.4.7 and earlier contains a critical security flaw that fundamentally undermines the integrity of its secure communications. This vulnerability stems from the application's complete absence of SSL certificate verification during network connections, creating an exploitable weakness that allows malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks with ease. The flaw represents a severe deviation from established security protocols and demonstrates a fundamental failure in the application's cryptographic implementation.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and specifically manifests as a failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS handshakes. The application's inability to verify certificate authenticity means that any attacker capable of intercepting network traffic can present a forged certificate that the application will accept without question. This weakness enables attackers to establish fake server endpoints that appear legitimate to the client application, thereby allowing them to decrypt and capture sensitive data transmitted between the mobile device and backend servers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it creates a comprehensive attack surface for adversaries seeking to compromise user communications. Attackers can exploit this flaw to steal user credentials, access private communications, intercept financial transactions, and potentially gain access to corporate networks through the compromised mobile application. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.4.7, meaning that a significant user base remains exposed to this risk. From an att&ck framework perspective, this vulnerability enables techniques such as t1041 (exfiltration) and t1566 (phishing) by providing an automated means for attackers to capture sensitive information without requiring user interaction beyond initial app installation.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate application updates that implement proper certificate pinning and validation mechanisms. Organizations should implement certificate pinning to ensure that only specific certificates or certificate authorities are accepted, and should deploy network monitoring solutions to detect potential man-in-the-middle activity. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of installing applications from untrusted sources and should be encouraged to maintain current versions of all mobile applications. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of implementing robust cryptographic practices in mobile applications and demonstrates how seemingly simple security oversights can create substantial risks for both individual users and enterprise environments.