CVE-2017-8941 in Interval International App
Summary
by MITRE
The Interval International app 3.3 through 3.5.1 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 • 09/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8941 affects the Interval International mobile application version 3.3 through 3.5.1 on iOS platforms. This security flaw represents a critical failure in the application's cryptographic implementation where it fails to properly validate X.509 certificates during SSL/TLS connections. The absence of certificate verification creates a significant attack surface that enables malicious actors to perform man-in-the-middle attacks against users of the application. This particular vulnerability falls under the category of improper certificate validation as classified by CWE-295, which specifically addresses the failure to validate certificates in secure communications. The flaw directly violates fundamental security principles that require proper certificate chain validation to ensure the authenticity of server endpoints.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to perform certificate pinning or proper certificate chain validation during SSL handshakes. When the iOS application establishes secure connections to backend servers, it should validate the X.509 certificates presented by these servers against trusted certificate authorities. However, the flawed implementation allows the application to accept any certificate presented by a server, regardless of its authenticity or trustworthiness. This weakness enables attackers to create fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the vulnerable application, effectively bypassing the security mechanisms designed to protect user data. The attack vector requires the adversary to position themselves between the user and the server, intercepting communications and presenting a malicious certificate that the application accepts without proper verification.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it compromises the integrity of all communications between the mobile application and its backend services. Users of the Interval International app could have their sensitive personal information, financial data, and other confidential details exposed to unauthorized parties. The vulnerability affects not only the confidentiality of communications but also undermines the authentication mechanisms that users rely upon when connecting to the application's services. Attackers could potentially access user accounts, modify transactions, or extract proprietary business information from the company's servers. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046 which involves network service scanning and T1566 which covers credential harvesting through social engineering and man-in-the-middle attacks. The exposure of sensitive user data through this vulnerability could result in identity theft, financial fraud, and corporate espionage.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating the application to a version that properly validates SSL certificates, implementing certificate pinning mechanisms, and conducting thorough security assessments of all mobile applications. The remediation approach should involve proper implementation of certificate validation routines that verify certificate chains against trusted root authorities and implement certificate pinning to prevent the acceptance of unauthorized certificates. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual certificate patterns that might indicate active attacks. Security teams should also consider implementing additional layers of protection such as application firewalls and intrusion detection systems that can identify and block man-in-the-middle attack attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper cryptographic implementation in mobile applications and serves as a reminder of the potential consequences when security controls are inadequately implemented or omitted from mobile security architectures. The incident highlights the need for comprehensive security testing including penetration testing and code reviews specifically focused on cryptographic implementations.