Incident: Potential Hack Threat to British Political Party Campaigns.

Published Date: 2017-05-30

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident mentioned in the article happened around the time the article was published, which was on May 30, 2017 [59751].
System The software failure incident mentioned in the article involved a potential hack on British political campaigns. The systems that failed in this incident were: 1. Email security systems: The incident highlighted the vulnerability of political campaigns to phishing attacks through fake Google login pages, indicating a failure in email security systems [59751]. 2. Lack of multi-factor authentication: The article mentioned that local campaigns, such as the Labour party, had not implemented two-factor authentication to limit the damage of phishing attacks, indicating a failure in implementing proper authentication measures [59751].
Responsible Organization 1. External attackers targeted the political campaigns with hacking attempts, similar to incidents experienced by the Clinton and Macron presidential campaigns [59751].
Impacted Organization 1. British political party [59751]
Software Causes 1. Phishing attacks targeting campaigns through fake Google login pages [59751] 2. Lack of regular and deliberate training on information security for candidates and campaign staff [59751] 3. Insufficient implementation of proper defenses like email security and multi-factor authentication [59751]
Non-software Causes 1. Lack of regular, deliberate training on information security for political campaigns [59751] 2. Limited support and training provided by national parties to parliamentary candidates on information security matters [59751] 3. Fragmentation of British elections leading to varying levels of support and oversight for different campaigns [59751]
Impacts 1. The software failure incident resulted in a heightened risk of hacking attacks on political campaigns, similar to those experienced by the Clinton and Macron presidential campaigns [59751]. 2. The incident led to concerns about the security of political parties and campaigns, with experts warning about the vulnerability of politicians to cyber attacks [59751]. 3. The failure exposed the lack of proper training and resources for information security among political candidates and parties, leaving them susceptible to phishing attacks and data breaches [59751]. 4. The incident highlighted the need for regular and deliberate training, as well as technological investments like email security and multi-factor authentication, to prevent costly and damaging hacks [59751]. 5. The fragmentation of constituency campaigns, while offering some security benefits, also posed challenges in terms of data sharing and standardizing security measures across different campaigns [59751].
Preventions 1. Implementing proper defenses against phishing attacks, including email security and multi-factor authentication, ideally via hardware keys [59751]. 2. Providing regular and deliberate training on information security to all campaign staff and candidates to increase awareness and prevent costly hacks [59751]. 3. Ensuring that all staff members are aware of the risks associated with using cloud services, email, and other resources that may be vulnerable to attacks [59751]. 4. Collaborating with cybersecurity experts and organizations like GCHQ to receive guidance on protecting networks and preventing breaches [59751]. 5. Utilizing technology solutions such as two-factor authentication to limit the damage that phishing attacks can cause [59751].
Fixes 1. Implement proper defenses against phishing attacks, including email security and multi-factor authentication, ideally via hardware keys [59751]. 2. Provide regular and deliberate training on information security to all individuals involved in political campaigns, including candidates and campaign staff [59751]. 3. Ensure that technology investments are made to monitor network activity and detect unauthorized access promptly [59751]. 4. Offer comprehensive training programs on data protection and information security for political candidates, beyond just webinars [59751]. 5. Collaborate with cybersecurity experts and organizations like GCHQ to receive guidance on protecting networks and preventing hacks [59751].
References 1. James Norton, former official at the US Department of Homeland Security and head of the security consultancy Play-Action Strategies [59751] 2. Dr. Udo Helmbrecht, EU's head of information security [59751] 3. Dick O’Brien, threat researcher at the security company Symantec [59751] 4. Elaine Bagshawe, Liberal Democrat candidate for east London’s Poplar and Limehouse [59751] 5. Emma Coad, Labour’s Kensington candidate [59751] 6. Ryan Kalember, head of cybersecurity strategy at Proofpoint [59751]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization: - The incident of a hack similar to those suffered by the Clinton and Macron presidential campaigns is predicted to happen to a British political party as well [59751]. - The Clinton and Macron campaigns were penetrated through phishing attacks, where hackers created fake Google login pages to harvest data [59751]. (b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization: - The security researcher James Norton warned that a hack similar to that on Macron "may well happen again" [59751]. - Norton emphasized the need for regular, deliberate training to prevent costly and damaging hacks, citing examples of the Clinton and Macron campaigns being penetrated through phishing attacks [59751].
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The article mentions the risk of hacking attacks greatly increasing following the dissolution of parliament, with Dr. Udo Helmbrecht cautioning candidates about potential vulnerabilities in the system due to naive treatment by parliamentarians [59751]. This indicates a potential failure in the design phase where system vulnerabilities were not adequately addressed or mitigated. (b) The article also highlights the importance of proper training and implementation of defenses around phishing attacks, including email security and multi-factor authentication, to prevent costly and damaging hacks [59751]. This suggests that failures in the operation phase, such as inadequate training or lack of proper security measures during system operation, could contribute to software failure incidents.
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system, outside_system (a) within_system: - The software failure incident related to the hack on the British political party was primarily due to factors originating from within the system itself. The incident involved vulnerabilities within the party's network and email systems that were exploited by external attackers [59751]. (b) outside_system: - The software failure incident was also influenced by factors originating from outside the system, such as the external threat actors who targeted the political party's campaign. The hackers utilized phishing attacks and created fake login pages to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, highlighting the external threat landscape impacting the system [59751].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The article discusses the vulnerability of political campaigns to hacking attacks, mentioning that campaigns are at risk of being hacked due to the nature of elections and the use of resources like cloud services and email that may not be typically used in a more permanent organization [59751]. - It is highlighted that the fragmentation of British elections, with more local power and smaller national oversight, can be both a blessing and a curse from a security standpoint. While it offers compartmentalization to prevent leaks of data for the entire campaign, it also increases the number of potential targets for an external attacker [59751]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - The article mentions that both the Clinton and Macron campaigns were penetrated through phishing attacks, where hackers created fake Google login pages to harvest data. This indicates that human actions, such as falling for phishing attempts, contributed to the software failure incidents in those campaigns [59751]. - It is noted that regular, deliberate training is needed to prevent costly and damaging hacks, as seen in the cases of the Clinton and Macron campaigns. Lack of proper training and awareness about information security measures can lead to human errors that result in software failure incidents [59751].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) software (a) The articles do not mention any specific incidents or failures related to hardware contributing factors that led to a software failure. (b) The articles discuss the potential for software failure incidents related to phishing attacks targeting political campaigns. For example, both the Clinton and Macron campaigns were penetrated through phishing attacks where hackers created fake Google login pages to harvest data [59751]. The articles also highlight the importance of implementing proper defenses against phishing attacks, such as email security and multi-factor authentication, to prevent costly and damaging hacks [59751].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The objective of the software failure incident was malicious, as it involved a hack similar to those suffered by the Clinton and Macron presidential campaigns. The incident was described as a potential hack on a British political party, with experts warning about the likelihood of emails being stolen and the vulnerability of political campaigns to hacking attacks [59751]. The incident was characterized by the use of phishing attacks to penetrate the campaigns, indicating a deliberate attempt to harm the systems and steal data [59751]. The security researchers highlighted the risks posed by external attackers targeting political parties during election periods, emphasizing the need for proper defenses against phishing attacks and the importance of regular, deliberate training to prevent costly and damaging hacks [59751]. (b) The software failure incident was non-malicious in the sense that it was not caused by unintentional factors or errors introduced without the intent to harm the system. The incident did not stem from accidental faults or glitches but rather from deliberate actions by external attackers seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in the political campaigns' networks [59751]. The lack of proper training and defenses against phishing attacks within the campaigns also contributed to the vulnerability of the systems, indicating a need for better information security practices rather than unintentional mistakes leading to the failure [59751].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) accidental_decisions (a) The articles do not provide information about a software failure incident related to poor decisions leading to the failure. (b) The articles mention incidents where software failures occurred due to accidental decisions or mistakes. For example, Hillary Clinton's campaign was penetrated through a phishing attack, where hackers created fake Google login pages to harvest data [59751]. Additionally, the articles discuss how local campaigns, like Labour's Kensington candidate Emma Coad's campaign, were not provided with training on two-factor authentication, which could have limited the damage from phishing attacks [59751]. These incidents highlight failures due to accidental decisions or mistakes rather than poor decisions.
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) accidental (a) The articles do not provide information about a software failure incident related to development incompetence. (b) The articles mention the risk of hacking attacks on political campaigns due to various factors such as lack of proper training and security measures. For example, the article discusses how the Clinton and Macron campaigns were penetrated through phishing attacks, where hackers created fake Google login pages to harvest data [59751]. This indicates that the software failure incidents related to hacking were accidental in nature, as they were not intentional actions by the campaigns but rather due to vulnerabilities exploited by external attackers.
Duration unknown The articles do not provide information about a specific software failure incident related to the duration of the failure being permanent or temporary.
Behaviour other (a) crash: The articles do not specifically mention a software failure incident related to a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. (b) omission: The articles do not specifically mention a software failure incident related to omission where the system omits to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). (c) timing: The articles do not specifically mention a software failure incident related to timing where the system performs its intended functions correctly, but too late or too early. (d) value: The articles do not specifically mention a software failure incident related to value where the system performs its intended functions incorrectly. (e) byzantine: The articles do not specifically mention a software failure incident related to a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. (f) other: The articles discuss the potential risk of hacking attacks on political campaigns, emphasizing the importance of cybersecurity measures to prevent costly and damaging hacks. The incidents mentioned involve phishing attacks targeting campaigns like those of Clinton and Macron, highlighting the need for regular training, technology investments, and proper defenses against phishing attempts [59751].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception None None
Communication None None
Application None None

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence unknown The articles do not provide information about a software failure incident leading to any of the consequences mentioned in the question. Therefore, the consequence of the software failure incident is 'unknown'.
Domain information, knowledge, government (a) The failed system in the articles was related to the information industry, specifically in the context of political campaigns and the security of information related to those campaigns. The articles discuss how political campaigns are targeted for hacking due to the valuable information they possess, such as emails, strategies, and personalities [59751]. Information security, phishing attacks, data protection, and email security are highlighted as crucial aspects for protecting the integrity of the information involved in political campaigns [59751]. (b) The transportation industry is not directly mentioned in the articles. (c) The natural resources industry is not directly mentioned in the articles. (d) The sales industry is not directly mentioned in the articles. (e) The construction industry is not directly mentioned in the articles. (f) The manufacturing industry is not directly mentioned in the articles. (g) The utilities industry is not directly mentioned in the articles. (h) The finance industry is not directly mentioned in the articles. (i) The knowledge industry is indirectly referenced in the articles through the mention of education and training provided to political candidates on information security matters [59751]. (j) The health industry is not directly mentioned in the articles. (k) The entertainment industry is not directly mentioned in the articles. (l) The failed system in the articles is related to the government industry, specifically in the context of political campaigns, parliamentarians, and political parties being targeted for hacking and cyber attacks [59751]. (m) The other industry is not directly mentioned in the articles.

Sources

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