CVE-2017-5913 in Forex
Summary
by MITRE
The TradeKing Forex for iPhone app 1.2.1 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-2017-5913 represents a critical security flaw in the TradeKing Forex for iPhone application version 1.2.1, specifically targeting the iOS platform. This issue stems from improper implementation of SSL/TLS certificate verification mechanisms within the mobile application, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data and system integrity. The flaw directly impacts the application's ability to establish secure communications with backend servers, fundamentally undermining the cryptographic protection that users expect when conducting financial transactions through mobile channels.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during the SSL handshake process. When mobile applications establish secure connections to web services, they must verify that the server's certificate is valid, properly signed by a trusted Certificate Authority, and matches the expected domain name. In the case of TradeKing Forex for iPhone, the application bypasses these crucial verification steps, allowing attackers to present malicious certificates that appear legitimate to the application. This weakness enables what cybersecurity professionals classify as a man-in-the-middle attack vector, where attackers can intercept and potentially modify communications between the mobile client and server infrastructure. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation in security protocols, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 for network service scanning and T1566 for credential access through social engineering.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it creates opportunities for attackers to gain access to sensitive financial information, user credentials, and transaction details that users trust the application to protect. Mobile banking and financial trading applications represent high-value targets for cybercriminals due to the potential for financial gain and the personal data they handle. The compromised application could enable attackers to impersonate legitimate financial services, redirect users to fraudulent endpoints, and capture sensitive information including account numbers, personal identification details, and trading credentials. The implications are particularly severe given that the application handles forex trading activities, which involve significant financial transactions and require robust security measures to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to ensure proper certificate validation. The primary fix involves implementing robust certificate pinning mechanisms that validate server certificates against known good certificates or public key fingerprints, preventing the acceptance of fraudulent certificates even if they are properly signed. Additionally, developers should implement proper certificate chain validation, including checking certificate expiration dates, verifying certificate authorities, and ensuring domain name matching. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous traffic patterns that might indicate certificate validation bypass attempts. The remediation process should include comprehensive security testing of the application's cryptographic implementation, including penetration testing and code review focused on SSL/TLS handling. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper certificate validation in mobile applications and aligns with industry best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-52 for certificate management and OWASP Mobile Top 10 for secure mobile application development.