CVE-2017-9562 in Mobile Banking App
Summary
by MITRE
The Freedom First freedom-1st-credit-union-mobile-banking/id1085229458 app 3.0.0 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9562 affects the Freedom First mobile banking application version 3.0.0 for iOS operating systems. This security flaw represents a critical failure in the application's implementation of secure communication protocols, specifically targeting the certificate verification mechanism that protects against man-in-the-middle attacks. The issue stems from the application's inability to properly validate X.509 certificates presented by SSL servers during secure connections, creating a significant security gap that adversaries can exploit to compromise user data and financial transactions.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's absence of proper certificate pinning and validation procedures. When establishing secure connections to banking servers, the app fails to perform essential X.509 certificate checks that would normally verify the authenticity and integrity of the server's identity. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-295, which addresses "Improper Certificate Validation," and represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's trust model. The absence of certificate verification means that attackers can present fraudulent certificates that appear legitimate to the application, enabling them to intercept and manipulate sensitive financial data transmitted between users and banking servers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception to encompass complete session hijacking capabilities for malicious actors. Attackers positioned within network traffic paths can exploit this weakness to perform man-in-the-middle attacks, where they transparently redirect communications to their own servers while presenting forged certificates to unsuspecting users. This allows unauthorized access to customer banking credentials, transaction details, account balances, and other sensitive financial information. The implications are particularly severe for mobile banking applications where users expect robust security protections, as the vulnerability undermines the fundamental security assumptions that users rely upon when conducting financial transactions.
This vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK framework techniques including T1046 for network service scanning and T1566 for credential harvesting through social engineering, though the primary attack vector involves direct network-level compromise. The lack of certificate verification creates an environment where attackers can easily establish trusted connections with malicious servers, potentially leading to complete account compromise and financial fraud. Organizations should implement certificate pinning mechanisms, enforce strict certificate validation procedures, and regularly audit mobile application security to prevent similar vulnerabilities from compromising user data and financial security. The remediation requires comprehensive code review and implementation of proper SSL/TLS certificate validation protocols that align with industry best practices and security standards.