CVE-2017-5919 in App
Summary
by MITRE
The 21st Century Insurance app 10.0.0 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.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5919 affects the 21st Century Insurance mobile application version 10.0.0 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 remote 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 flaw manifests as a complete absence of certificate verification mechanisms within the application's secure communication framework. When the iOS application attempts to establish encrypted connections with remote servers, it bypasses the standard certificate validation procedures that should confirm the authenticity and legitimacy of server certificates. This vulnerability directly violates the fundamental principles of public key infrastructure and cryptographic security protocols that are essential for maintaining secure communications over untrusted networks. The absence of certificate pinning, hostname verification, and proper trust chain validation creates an environment where attackers can seamlessly impersonate legitimate servers without detection.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it enables sophisticated man-in-the-middle attacks that can compromise sensitive user information including personal identification data, financial details, and insurance-related records. Attackers can craft malicious certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application, allowing them to intercept, modify, or steal data transmitted between users and the insurance company's servers. This vulnerability specifically affects the confidentiality and integrity of communications, potentially enabling credential theft, financial fraud, and unauthorized access to personal insurance information. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it operates transparently to end users who would have no indication that their communications are being intercepted or manipulated.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-295 which describes "Improper Certificate Validation" and represents a classic example of insufficient cryptographic implementation that violates security best practices. The flaw also maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1041 for Exfiltration Over C2 Channel and T1566 for Phishing, as the compromised communication channels can facilitate data exfiltration and social engineering attacks. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including certificate pinning mechanisms, proper hostname validation, and comprehensive security testing of mobile applications. The remediation process requires complete code review and implementation of proper SSL/TLS certificate validation procedures that align with industry standards such as those specified in NIST SP 800-52 and RFC 5280. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other mobile applications and ensure comprehensive protection against man-in-the-middle attacks.