Published Date: 2018-09-07
| Postmortem Analysis | |
|---|---|
| Timeline | 1. The software failure incident involving British Airways happened between August 21 and September 5, 2018 as reported in Article 75644 [75644]. 2. The incident can be estimated to have occurred in September 2018 based on the published date of the article (September 11, 2018). |
| System | 1. British Airways' website and app security system failed to prevent the cyberattack by Magecart, resulting in the theft of data from up to 380,000 people [75697, 75644, 75453]. 2. The JavaScript component on the British Airways baggage claim webpage was compromised, allowing hackers to inject malicious code and steal personal and financial information [75697, 75644]. 3. The lack of visibility into the code running on British Airways' website allowed Magecart to carry out a customized attack, indicating a failure in monitoring and security measures [75697]. 4. The British Airways Android app was also affected by the compromised JavaScript component, highlighting a shared risk due to the app's reliance on existing web infrastructure [75644]. 5. The attackers were able to bypass British Airways' encryption and use sophisticated methods to steal data, indicating a failure in the encryption and security protocols [75453]. |
| Responsible Organization | 1. Magecart cybercriminal group [75697, 75644] 2. Hackers targeting British Airways [75644] 3. Criminal hacking gang active since 2015 [75644] |
| Impacted Organization | 1. British Airways [75697, 75644, 75453] |
| Software Causes | 1. The software cause of the failure incident was a cyberattack orchestrated by the Magecart group, which targeted British Airways' website and app to steal data from up to 380,000 people [75697, 75644]. 2. The attackers used a tailored attack strategy, injecting a malicious JavaScript code into the British Airways website and app, specifically targeting the company's infrastructure [75644]. 3. The attack involved a "cross-site scripting" technique, where the attackers identified a poorly secured web page component and injected their own code to alter the site's behavior [75644]. 4. The attackers modified a JavaScript component on the British Airways baggage claim information page, which was used to capture data entered by customers into payment forms and send it to an attacker-controlled server [75644]. 5. The attackers also targeted the British Airways Android app by injecting the same malicious JavaScript component used on the main website, indicating a shared risk between the website and the mobile app [75644]. |
| Non-software Causes | 1. Lack of proper security measures to protect customer data [75697, 75644, 75453] 2. Failure to prevent hackers from accessing the website and app [75453] |
| Impacts | 1. The software failure incident at British Airways resulted in the theft of data from up to 380,000 people, including names, addresses, email addresses, and sensitive payment card details [75697, 75644]. 2. The stolen data, including credit card details and CVV codes, could potentially be on sale on the dark web, leading to concerns about financial losses and potential class-action lawsuits against British Airways [75644, 75453]. 3. The incident raised cybersecurity concerns as hackers used sophisticated methods to steal data, potentially through a cross-site scripting attack, indicating vulnerabilities in the airline's website infrastructure [75644]. 4. British Airways faced the risk of fines amounting to hundreds of millions of pounds by the Information Commissioner's Office under GDPR rules, which could significantly impact the company's finances [75453]. |
| Preventions | 1. Implementing proper web security measures such as secure coding practices, regular security audits, and penetration testing to identify and fix vulnerabilities [75697, 75644]. 2. Ensuring strong encryption methods are in place to protect sensitive data like credit card information [75644, 75453]. 3. Monitoring for any unauthorized changes to website code or scripts, especially those related to payment processing [75644]. 4. Educating employees and customers on cybersecurity best practices to prevent falling victim to phishing scams or other social engineering tactics [75453]. 5. Promptly updating software and systems to patch known vulnerabilities and protect against potential exploits [75697, 75644]. 6. Collaborating with cybersecurity experts and agencies to stay informed about emerging threats and take proactive measures to enhance security [75644, 75453]. |
| Fixes | 1. Implementing stricter security measures to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches, such as regularly updating and monitoring the website's code for vulnerabilities [75697, 75644]. 2. Conducting thorough security audits and penetration testing to identify and address any weaknesses in the website's infrastructure [75644]. 3. Enhancing data encryption protocols to ensure sensitive information like credit card details are securely transmitted and stored [75453]. 4. Educating employees and customers on cybersecurity best practices to prevent falling victim to phishing scams or other social engineering tactics used by hackers [75453]. 5. Collaborating with cybersecurity experts and law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident, track down the perpetrators, and prevent future attacks [75644, 75453]. | References | 1. RiskIQ [75697, 75644] 2. National Crime Agency [75453] |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring | one_organization, multiple_organization | (a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization: - The software failure incident involving the data breach at British Airways is linked to a criminal hacking gang known as Magecart, which has been active since 2015 [75644]. - Magecart, the same cybercriminal group behind the Ticketmaster UK breach in June, was identified as the likely attacker behind the British Airways hack [75697]. - The attack on British Airways was much more tailored to the company's specific infrastructure, indicating a targeted approach by the hackers [75644]. (b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization: - The article mentions another cybercrime group, FIN7, which hacked restaurants like Chipotle, Chili's, and Arby's, affecting more than 15 million people [75697]. - Magecart, the group behind the British Airways hack, has compromised more than 800 e-commerce websites and stolen financial data, indicating a widespread impact on various organizations [75697]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) | design, operation | (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the British Airways data breach incident. The hackers behind the attack used a sophisticated method to inject custom JavaScript into British Airways' website, specifically targeting the baggage claim webpage where customers entered their personal and financial information [75697, 75644]. This indicates a failure in the design aspect of the system's security measures, allowing attackers to exploit vulnerabilities in the website's code. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in how the attackers compromised data from British Airways' website and app during a specific timeframe between August 21 and September 5. The attack involved stealing customer information, including credit card details, as they were typing it into the website, rather than from a database, suggesting a failure in the operation or misuse of the system's security protocols [75453]. This highlights a weakness in the operational procedures or controls that should have prevented unauthorized access to sensitive data during user interactions with the website. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) | within_system, outside_system | (a) within_system: The software failure incident involving British Airways' data breach was primarily due to contributing factors that originated from within the system. The attack was carried out by cybercriminal group Magecart, which injected custom JavaScript code into British Airways' website, specifically targeting the company's infrastructure [75697, 75644]. The attackers modified a JavaScript component on the baggage claim information page of the website, which was used to steal customer data entered into payment forms [75644]. This tailored attack exploited specific weaknesses in the British Airways site's scripting and data flow, indicating an internal system vulnerability [75644]. (b) outside_system: The software failure incident was also influenced by contributing factors that originated from outside the system. The hackers behind the attack used sophisticated methods to breach the system, indicating external threats to the security of British Airways' website [75644]. Additionally, the stolen customer data, including credit card details, was speculated to have been traded on the dark web, a secretive layer of the internet frequently used by criminals, highlighting the external impact of the breach [75453]. The involvement of cybercriminal groups like Magecart operating externally also played a significant role in the software failure incident [75697]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) | non-human_actions, human_actions | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The software failure incident involving British Airways' data breach was attributed to cybercriminal group Magecart, known for web-based credit card skimming [75697, 75644]. - The attackers injected a malicious JavaScript code into British Airways' website, which automatically grabbed data entered into a payment form and sent it to an attacker-controlled server [75644]. - The attack was tailored to the specific infrastructure of British Airways, indicating a non-human action in the form of automated code injection [75644]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - The software failure incident involving British Airways' data breach was a result of hackers using sophisticated methods to steal customer data, including names, addresses, email addresses, and sensitive payment card details [75644, 75453]. - The hackers likely used a "cross-site scripting" attack to inject their own code into a poorly secured web page component on the British Airways website, altering the site's behavior [75644]. - The inclusion of CVV numbers in the stolen data suggested that hackers copied customers' data as they were typing it into the BA website, rather than stealing it from a database, indicating human actions in exploiting vulnerabilities [75453]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) | software | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - The articles do not mention any hardware-related issues contributing to the software failure incident. Therefore, it is unknown if the incident occurred due to hardware-related factors. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - The software failure incident involving British Airways' data breach was primarily due to software-related factors. The incident was caused by hackers injecting custom JavaScript code into British Airways' website, compromising customer data [75697, 75644, 75453]. The attackers used sophisticated methods to steal data, including credit card information, by manipulating the website's code and creating a fake version of the website to collect sensitive information [75697, 75644]. The attack involved tailored infrastructure and specific targeting of high-profile companies, indicating a software-based attack strategy [75644]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) | malicious | (a) The software failure incident related to the British Airways data breach was malicious in nature. The incident involved hackers from the cybercriminal group Magecart who specifically targeted British Airways' website and app to steal customer data, including names, addresses, email addresses, and sensitive payment card details [75697, 75644, 75453]. The attackers used sophisticated methods, including injecting malicious code into the website and app, to capture the data as customers entered it, indicating a deliberate intent to harm the system and compromise customer information. The stolen data, including credit card details with CVV codes, was likely to be sold on the dark web for financial gain [75453]. (b) The software failure incident was non-malicious in the sense that it was not caused by unintentional errors or faults in the system. Instead, it was a result of deliberate actions by hackers who exploited vulnerabilities in British Airways' infrastructure to carry out the data breach [75697, 75644, 75453]. The attack involved targeted and customized techniques to breach the specific high-profile company, indicating a calculated effort to compromise the system and steal sensitive customer information. The incident was not a random or accidental failure but a planned cyberattack orchestrated by cybercriminals with the intent to harm the airline and its customers. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) | unknown | (a) The intent of the software failure incident was not due to poor decisions but rather a deliberate and sophisticated cyberattack by a criminal hacking gang known as Magecart. The attack on British Airways involved tailored infrastructure mimicking the victim site, indicating a strategic and targeted approach by the hackers [75697, 75644]. (b) The software failure incident was not accidental but a result of a deliberate cyberattack aimed at stealing customer data from British Airways. The attackers used sophisticated methods, including injecting malicious code into the website to capture sensitive information like credit card details. This attack was not accidental but a well-planned and executed cybercrime [75697, 75644]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) | development_incompetence, unknown | (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence can be seen in the articles as the British Airways data breach was attributed to the cybercriminal group Magecart, known for web-based credit card skimming. The attackers injected a customized JavaScript code into British Airways' website, compromising customer data during specific timeframes [75697, 75644]. This incident highlights the lack of professional competence in securing the website against such attacks, leading to a significant data breach affecting a large number of customers. (b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is not explicitly mentioned in the articles. |
| Duration | temporary | (a) The software failure incident in the articles is considered temporary. The incident was a result of specific circumstances introduced by the hackers who targeted British Airways' website and app, leading to the theft of customer data [75697, 75644, 75453]. The attack was not a permanent failure but rather a breach caused by external factors that exploited vulnerabilities in the airline's infrastructure. |
| Behaviour | omission, value, other | (a) crash: The articles do not mention a crash as the behavior of the software failure incident. (b) omission: The software failure incident in the articles involved the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s) by allowing hackers to inject malicious code into the British Airways website, leading to the theft of customer data [75697, 75644, 75453]. (c) timing: The software failure incident did not involve the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. (d) value: The software failure incident involved the system performing its intended functions incorrectly by allowing the theft of sensitive customer data, including credit card details [75697, 75644, 75453]. (e) byzantine: The software failure incident did not involve the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. (f) other: The software failure incident also involved the system being targeted by a cybercriminal group known as Magecart, which specialized in web-based credit card skimming and tailored their attack to the specific infrastructure of British Airways' website [75697, 75644, 75453]. |
| Layer | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Perception | None | None |
| Communication | None | None |
| Application | None | None |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Consequence | property | (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure The software failure incident involving British Airways resulted in the theft of data from up to 380,000 people, including names, addresses, email addresses, and sensitive payment card details [75697, 75644]. The stolen data, which included credit card information such as the CVV code, was potentially already being traded on the dark web, indicating a significant impact on individuals' financial information [75453]. Additionally, the attackers were able to compromise the British Airways website and app, leading to the potential exposure of customers' personal and financial data [75644]. |
| Domain | information, finance | (a) The failed system was related to the industry of information, specifically the airline industry. The software failure incident involved British Airways, the UK's largest airline, where hackers stole data from up to 380,000 people by injecting malicious code into the airline's website [75697, 75644, 75453]. (h) The failed system was also related to the finance industry. The hackers targeted British Airways to steal financial data, including credit card information, from customers making transactions on the airline's website [75697, 75644, 75453]. |
Article ID: 75697
Article ID: 75644
Article ID: 75453