CVE-2017-5912 in FOREXTrader
Summary
by MITRE
The FOREX.com FOREXTrader for iPhone app 2.9.12 through 2.9.14 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-2017-5912 affects the FOREX.com FOREXTrader mobile application version 2.9.12 through 2.9.14 on iOS platforms. This represents a critical security flaw in the application's cryptographic implementation that fundamentally undermines the integrity of secure communications between the mobile client and remote servers. The issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate SSL/TLS certificates, creating a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise user data and financial transactions.
The technical flaw manifests as a complete absence of X.509 certificate verification within the application's secure communication stack. This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-295, which specifically addresses "Improper Certificate Validation" in security protocols. When an application fails to validate SSL certificates properly, it essentially removes the cryptographic foundation that ensures secure communication channels. The mobile application should validate certificate chains against trusted Certificate Authorities but instead accepts any certificate presented by a server, making it susceptible to various man-in-the-middle attacks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates severe consequences for users of the FOREXTrader application. Attackers can establish malicious server endpoints that present forged certificates, allowing them to intercept, modify, or steal sensitive user information including login credentials, personal identification details, and financial transaction data. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to potentially enabling financial fraud and unauthorized trading activities that could result in significant monetary losses for users. This vulnerability particularly affects the application's authentication and session management mechanisms, undermining the entire security architecture of the mobile trading platform.
The attack vector for this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046, which involves network service scanning and manipulation, and T1566, which covers credential harvesting through social engineering and network attacks. Cybercriminals can leverage this flaw by deploying rogue servers that present malicious certificates, effectively creating a false sense of security for users while simultaneously capturing their sensitive communications. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects a financial trading application where users routinely transmit highly sensitive information including account credentials, trading details, and personal financial data.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary fix involves implementing proper X.509 certificate validation mechanisms that verify certificate chains against trusted CAs, implement certificate pinning for critical endpoints, and ensure that all SSL/TLS connections undergo rigorous certificate verification. Organizations should also implement certificate monitoring systems to detect unauthorized certificate changes and establish secure communication protocols that include proper certificate revocation checking. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar validation flaws in other mobile applications. The remediation process should include comprehensive code review to ensure all network communication components properly validate certificates and implement proper error handling for certificate validation failures.