CVE-2017-5905 in Mobile App
Summary
by MITRE
The Dollar Bank Mobile app 2.6.3 for iOS 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 • 09/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5905 affects the Dollar Bank Mobile application version 2.6.3 on iOS platforms, representing a critical security flaw in the application's cryptographic implementation. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS communications, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data and financial transactions. The flaw directly impacts the application's ability to establish secure communications with backend servers, undermining the fundamental security assurances that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to provide.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests as a complete absence of certificate verification mechanisms within the mobile banking application's network security stack. When the application establishes connections to remote servers, it fails to perform the essential X.509 certificate validation steps that include checking certificate authority signatures, verifying certificate expiration dates, and ensuring the certificate's subject matches the target server's hostname. This omission creates a scenario where attackers can intercept communications and present fraudulent certificates that the application accepts without proper scrutiny, effectively bypassing the entire certificate validation process that security standards mandate for secure communications.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability exposes users to severe man-in-the-middle attacks that can result in complete financial account compromise and sensitive data theft. Attackers leveraging this flaw can intercept and modify banking transactions, steal login credentials, access account balances, and perform unauthorized transfers without detection. The impact extends beyond individual user accounts to potentially affect the entire banking institution's reputation and regulatory compliance status, as financial institutions must maintain robust security measures to protect customer data and maintain trust in their digital services. The vulnerability particularly affects mobile banking applications where users conduct sensitive financial transactions over potentially untrusted networks.
The security implications of CVE-2017-5905 align with CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1041 for data manipulation during transit. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including mandatory certificate pinning, proper SSL certificate validation, and regular security audits of mobile applications. The vulnerability also relates to NIST SP 800-53 security controls that require secure communication protocols and proper certificate management practices. Remediation efforts must include comprehensive code review processes, implementation of proper certificate validation libraries, and regular penetration testing of mobile applications to ensure cryptographic security measures remain effective against evolving threats in the mobile banking landscape.