CVE-2017-9561 in App
Summary
by MITRE
The Lee Bank & Trust lbtc-mobile/id1068984753 app 3.0.1 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.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/29/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9561 affects the Lee Bank & Trust mobile application version 3.0.1 for iOS operating systems. This security flaw represents a critical failure in the application's cryptographic implementation where the software neglects to perform proper X.509 certificate validation during SSL/TLS connections. The absence of certificate verification creates a significant attack vector that enables malicious actors to execute successful man-in-the-middle attacks against the application's communication channels.
This technical weakness directly violates fundamental security principles governing secure communications and represents a clear violation of the CWE-295 vulnerability category, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation. The flaw allows attackers to present fraudulent certificates that the application accepts without proper verification, effectively breaking the trust model that SSL/TLS protocols are designed to establish. The vulnerability exists within the application's network security implementation where it fails to validate certificate chains, check certificate expiration dates, or verify certificate signatures against trusted root authorities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, particularly for financial applications handling sensitive user data and transactions. Attackers can exploit this weakness to intercept and manipulate communications between the mobile application and backend servers, potentially gaining access to user credentials, account information, transaction details, and other confidential data. The vulnerability undermines the core security assurances that users expect from financial mobile applications, making it particularly dangerous in the banking and financial services sector where data integrity and confidentiality are paramount.
The attack surface for this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to include potential session hijacking and credential theft scenarios. According to ATT&CK framework techniques, this vulnerability maps to T1046 Network Service Scanning and T1566 Phishing, as attackers can leverage the compromised communication channel to establish persistent access. The vulnerability also aligns with T1592 Defense Evasion techniques, as the application's failure to validate certificates provides attackers with a stealthy method of maintaining access without detection.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper SSL/TLS certificate validation mechanisms within the application. The solution involves configuring the application to perform comprehensive certificate validation including chain of trust verification, expiration date checking, and signature validation against established root certificates. Organizations should implement certificate pinning techniques to further strengthen the security posture and prevent the acceptance of fraudulent certificates. Additionally, regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure proper implementation of cryptographic security controls. The remediation process must also include updating the application to ensure that all network communications properly validate server certificates before establishing secure connections, thereby restoring the intended security guarantees of SSL/TLS protocols.