CVE-2017-5914 in Banque Zitouna App
Summary
by MITRE
The DOT IT Banque Zitouna app 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-2017-5914 affects the DOT IT Banque Zitouna mobile application version 2.1 running on iOS devices. 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 backend servers. The issue stems from the application's failure to properly validate X.509 certificates during the SSL/TLS handshake process, creating a significant attack surface that malicious actors can exploit to compromise user data and system security.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the application's improper certificate validation mechanism, which falls under CWE-295 - "Improper Certificate Validation." When an iOS application fails to verify X.509 certificates, it essentially disables the entire public key infrastructure that SSL/TLS protocols rely upon for establishing trust between communicating parties. This flaw allows attackers to perform man-in-the-middle attacks by presenting fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application. The absence of proper certificate chain validation, hostname verification, and signature validation creates multiple entry points for attackers to inject malicious content or intercept sensitive communications.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to both individual users and the financial institution itself. Mobile banking applications handle highly sensitive information including account credentials, transaction details, personal identification numbers, and financial data that could be compromised through this attack vector. The implications extend beyond simple data theft to potential financial fraud, identity theft, and reputational damage for the bank. Attackers could exploit this weakness to redirect users to malicious servers, capture login credentials, or modify transaction data in transit, effectively nullifying the security protections that users expect from secure mobile banking applications.
The attack surface for this vulnerability aligns with several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to credential access and defense evasion. Adversaries could leverage this weakness to establish persistent access to user accounts through credential theft, or to maintain stealthy access by avoiding detection mechanisms that would normally flag suspicious network activity. The vulnerability also enables attackers to perform session hijacking and transaction manipulation, which are common tactics in mobile banking fraud. Security professionals should note that this represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture that requires immediate remediation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-5914 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary fix involves implementing proper X.509 certificate validation that includes certificate chain verification, hostname validation, and signature verification. Organizations should also consider implementing certificate pinning to prevent the use of unauthorized certificates even if they are technically valid. Network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be enhanced to detect unusual certificate behavior patterns that might indicate active exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other mobile applications. The remediation process must also include comprehensive staff training on secure coding practices and the importance of proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications.