Published Date: 2020-01-14
| Postmortem Analysis | |
|---|---|
| Timeline | 1. The software failure incident happened in January 2020. [94831, 94377, 94931] |
| System | 1. Windows 10 operating system [94831, 94377, 94931] 2. crypt32.dll component in Windows [94931] |
| Responsible Organization | 1. The National Security Agency (NSA) [94831, 94377, 94931] |
| Impacted Organization | 1. Windows 10 users, including those in government and business sectors, were impacted by the software failure incident [94831, 94377, 94931]. 2. Users of Windows Server 2016 and 2019 were also affected by the flaw [94931]. |
| Software Causes | 1. The software failure incident was caused by a major flaw in Windows 10 discovered by the NSA, which could be exploited by hackers to create malicious software [94831, 94377, 94931]. 2. The flaw was specifically related to a component of Windows known as crypt32.dll, which allowed hackers to make malicious software appear legitimate [94931]. 3. The error in the software code failed to properly check the authenticity of websites when users logged on, leaving users vulnerable to various attacks [94377]. 4. The vulnerability could have been used by attackers to conduct "man-in-the-middle attacks" and decrypt confidential information on user connections to the affected software [94831]. |
| Non-software Causes | 1. Lack of transparency and disclosure of security vulnerabilities by the NSA in the past [94831, 94377]. 2. NSA's previous strategy of keeping security flaws under wraps to exploit for its own intelligence needs [94831]. 3. The flaw in the Windows operating system discovered by the NSA [94377, 94931]. 4. The error in the software code that failed to properly check the authenticity of websites [94377]. 5. The flaw in the crypt32.dll component of Windows [94931]. |
| Impacts | 1. The software failure incident in Windows 10, discovered by the NSA, could have allowed attackers to conduct "man-in-the-middle attacks" and decrypt confidential information on user connections to the affected software [94831]. 2. The vulnerability in Windows 10, if successfully exploited, could have led to the creation of malicious software that appeared legitimate, potentially compromising user data and trust [94831]. 3. The flaw in Windows 10's crypt32.dll component could have enabled hackers to create malicious software that masqueraded as legitimate, posing a significant threat to users [94931]. 4. The NSA's disclosure of the software vulnerability to Microsoft marked a significant shift in the agency's approach, prioritizing computer security over building up hacking tools, which could help restore the agency's image [94377]. 5. The incident highlighted the importance of promptly applying security updates to protect against potential exploitation of software vulnerabilities [94377]. 6. The software failure incident underscored the critical role of timely patching to mitigate the risks posed by vulnerabilities in widely used operating systems like Windows 10 [94931]. |
| Preventions | 1. Timely Patching: The software failure incident could have been prevented if users had applied the security update promptly after it was released by Microsoft [94831, 94377, 94931]. 2. Enhanced Vulnerability Disclosure Process: A more proactive and transparent approach to disclosing vulnerabilities by organizations like the NSA could help prevent such incidents in the future [94831, 94377]. 3. Improved Software Testing: Thorough testing of software components, especially critical ones like crypt32.dll in Windows, could have potentially identified and fixed the flaw before it became exploitable [94931]. 4. Stronger Cybersecurity Measures: Implementing robust cybersecurity measures within organizations and for individual users can help mitigate the impact of potential software vulnerabilities and attacks [94831, 94377, 94931]. |
| Fixes | 1. Microsoft issued a security update to fix the vulnerability in Windows 10 [94831, 94377]. 2. Users were encouraged to install all security updates as soon as possible to protect their systems [94377]. 3. The patch released by Microsoft addressed the flaw in the crypt32.dll component of Windows [94931]. 4. Applying the security patch promptly was emphasized to prevent potential exploitation of the vulnerability [94931]. | References | 1. The National Security Agency (NSA) [94831, 94377, 94931] 2. Microsoft [94831, 94377, 94931] 3. Cybersecurity experts [94377, 94931] 4. Priscilla Moriuchi, former NSA employee and current analyst at Recorded Future [94831] 5. Rick Holland, Chief Information Security Officer at Digital Shadows [94831] 6. Dmitri Alperovitch, computer security expert [94377] 7. Jeff Jones, Senior Director at Microsoft [94831, 94377] 8. Anne Neuberger, Director of the NSA's Cybersecurity Directorate [94377, 94931] 9. Brian Krebs, security expert [94931] 10. Alan Woodward, security expert at the University of Surrey [94931] 11. Jake Williams, former NSA hacker and co-founder of Rendition Infosec [94377] |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring | one_organization, multiple_organization | (a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization: - The NSA discovered a major flaw in Microsoft's Windows operating system, which could expose users to significant breaches, surveillance, or disruption [94377]. - The NSA had previously taken advantage of vulnerabilities in Microsoft products to deploy hacking tools against adversaries, which led to global havoc, such as the WannaCry outbreak in 2017 [94831]. (b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization: - The NSA's disclosure of the vulnerability in Windows 10 represents a major shift in its approach, prioritizing computer security over building up its arsenal of hacking tools [94377]. - The vulnerability discovered by the NSA could affect Windows 10, which is widely used on 400 million computers [94831]. - The flaw in Windows 10 was also found to be a problem in Windows Server 2016 and 2019, indicating a broader impact across different versions of Microsoft's operating systems [94931]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) | design | (a) The software failure incident related to the development phases: - The NSA discovered a major flaw in Microsoft's Windows operating system that could expose users to breaches, surveillance, or disruption [94377]. - The flaw was found in a component of Windows called crypt32.dll, which allows software developers to access functions like digital certificates used for signing software [94931]. - The flaw could have allowed hackers to create malicious software that appeared legitimate, impacting user trust and security [94831]. - Microsoft issued a security fix for the vulnerability after being alerted by the NSA, indicating a flaw introduced during the development phase [94831]. - The NSA's disclosure of the flaw to Microsoft represents a shift in approach, prioritizing computer security over building up hacking tools [94377]. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phases: - The flaw in Windows 10 could have been exploited by hackers to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks and decrypt confidential information on user connections [94831]. - The flaw affected the Windows 10 operating system, widely used in government and business, highlighting potential risks in the operation of critical systems [94377]. - The flaw was a significant threat as it could have allowed hackers to reroute users to malicious sites, steal files, record keystrokes, install ransomware, among other malicious activities [94377]. - The NSA and Microsoft reported no active exploitation of the flaw, indicating that the operation of the affected systems was not compromised at the time of reporting [94377, 94931]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) | within_system, outside_system | (a) within_system: The software failure incident reported in the articles is primarily within the system. The vulnerability in Windows 10, discovered by the NSA, was a flaw in the crypt32.dll component of the operating system that could be exploited by hackers to create malicious software [94931]. This flaw was a mistake in the computer code that affected the Windows 10 operating system [94377]. Microsoft issued a patch to address this vulnerability [94377]. The NSA disclosed the flaw to Microsoft, indicating that the issue originated within the system [94377]. (b) outside_system: The software failure incident also involved contributing factors that originated from outside the system. The NSA's decision to disclose the vulnerability to Microsoft represents a shift in approach for the agency, moving towards prioritizing computer security over building up its arsenal of hacking tools [94377]. This change in approach signifies a move towards sharing data and building trust in cybersecurity [94377]. The NSA's disclosure of the vulnerability was seen as a positive step towards improving global information security [94831]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) | non-human_actions, human_actions | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The software failure incident in this case was due to a serious vulnerability discovered by the NSA in Windows 10, specifically in a component known as crypt32.dll, which could be exploited by hackers to create malicious software [94931]. - The flaw in the software made trust vulnerable and could have allowed attackers to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks and decrypt confidential information on user connections to the affected software [94831]. - The NSA alerted Microsoft about the vulnerability, and Microsoft issued a security fix to address the flaw [94377]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - The NSA chose to disclose the vulnerability to Microsoft rather than keeping it secret for its own intelligence needs, representing a major shift in the NSA's approach towards prioritizing computer security over building up its arsenal of hacking tools [94377]. - The NSA's decision to disclose the flaw to Microsoft was praised by cybersecurity professionals as a positive step towards enhancing computer security [94377]. - The flaw in the software was discovered by the NSA, and the agency decided to make its involvement in the discovery public at the request of Microsoft [94931]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) | software | (a) The articles do not mention any hardware-related issues contributing to the software failure incident. Therefore, there is no information available regarding a hardware-related failure in this context. (b) The software failure incident reported in the articles is due to contributing factors that originate in software. The incident involved a major flaw in Microsoft's Windows operating system, specifically affecting Windows 10. The flaw was discovered by the National Security Agency (NSA) and could be exploited by hackers to create malicious software that appeared legitimate [94831, 94377, 94931]. Microsoft issued a security fix to address the vulnerability, highlighting that customers who applied the update were protected [94831, 94377]. The flaw was related to a component in Windows known as crypt32.dll, which could allow hackers to make malicious software appear legitimate [94931]. The NSA's disclosure of the flaw to Microsoft marked a significant shift in approach, prioritizing computer security over building up hacking tools [94377]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) | non-malicious | (a) The software failure incident in the articles is non-malicious. The National Security Agency (NSA) discovered a major flaw in Microsoft's Windows operating system that could expose computer users to breaches, surveillance, or disruption. The NSA chose to alert Microsoft about the problem rather than turning it into a hacking weapon, indicating a shift in approach towards prioritizing computer security over building up hacking tools [94831, 94377, 94931]. (b) The software failure incident is non-malicious as it was a mistake in the computer code that affected the Windows 10 operating system. The flaw was essentially a bug in the software code that failed to properly check the authenticity of websites when users logged on, potentially leaving users vulnerable to various attacks. Microsoft issued a patch for the flaw, and both Microsoft and the NSA reported no active exploitation of the vulnerability [94377, 94931]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) | accidental_decisions | (a) The intent of the software failure incident was accidental_decisions. The National Security Agency (NSA) discovered a major flaw in Microsoft's Windows operating system that could expose users to breaches, surveillance, or disruption. Instead of keeping the flaw secret for its own intelligence needs, the NSA chose to alert Microsoft about the problem, leading to a public disclosure of the vulnerability [94831, 94377, 94931]. This decision to prioritize computer security over building up hacking tools represents a shift in the NSA's approach and was praised by cybersecurity professionals for voluntarily disclosing the flaw to Microsoft. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) | accidental | (a) The articles do not provide information indicating the software failure incident occurred due to development incompetence. (b) The software failure incident reported in the articles was accidental. The National Security Agency (NSA) discovered a major flaw in Microsoft's Windows operating system that could expose computer users to significant breaches, surveillance, or disruption. The flaw was essentially a mistake in the computer code affecting Windows 10, and it was not intentionally introduced but rather discovered by the NSA [94831, 94377, 94931]. |
| Duration | temporary | (a) The software failure incident in this case is temporary. The vulnerability in Windows 10 discovered by the NSA was addressed by Microsoft through a security fix [94831, 94377, 94931]. The flaw was related to a specific component of Windows known as crypt32.dll, which allowed hackers to create malicious software that appeared legitimate. Microsoft released a patch for the flaw, and customers who applied the update or had automatic updates enabled were protected [94831, 94377, 94931]. The NSA's disclosure of the vulnerability to Microsoft and the subsequent patching of the flaw indicate that the software failure was not permanent but rather a temporary issue that was resolved through security measures. |
| Behaviour | value, other | (a) crash: The articles do not mention any instance of a system crash where the software completely stops functioning and loses its state. (b) omission: The software failure incident is not described as an omission where the system fails to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). (c) timing: The software failure incident is not related to timing issues where the system performs its intended functions but at the wrong time. (d) value: The software failure incident is related to a value failure where the system performs its intended functions incorrectly. The flaw in Windows 10 could have allowed attackers to conduct "man-in-the-middle attacks" and decrypt confidential information on user connections to the affected software [94831]. (e) byzantine: The software failure incident is not described as a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. (f) other: The software failure incident is related to a security vulnerability in Windows 10 that could be exploited by hackers to create malicious software, leading to potential breaches, surveillance, or disruption [94377, 94931]. The flaw in the software made trust vulnerable and could have serious implications if successfully exploited [94831]. |
| Layer | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Perception | None | None |
| Communication | None | None |
| Application | None | None |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Consequence | property, non-human, theoretical_consequence, other | The consequence of the software failure incident described in the articles is mainly related to potential harm and property impact due to the vulnerability in Windows 10 discovered by the NSA. The articles discuss the potential risks posed by the flaw, such as exposing computer users to significant breaches, surveillance, or disruption [Article 94377]. The flaw could have allowed attackers to conduct "man-in-the-middle attacks" and decrypt confidential information on user connections to the affected software [Article 94831]. Additionally, the flaw could have been exploited by hackers to reroute users to malicious sites, steal files, activate microphones, record keystrokes and passwords, wipe disks, install ransomware, among other malicious activities [Article 94377]. There were no observed real consequences of the software failure incident, as Microsoft issued a security fix promptly, and there was no evidence of hackers exploiting the vulnerability [Article 94831]. The NSA's disclosure of the flaw to Microsoft aimed to prevent any potential harm or property damage that could have occurred if the vulnerability had been exploited [Article 94377]. |
| Domain | information, government | (a) The software failure incident related to the information industry as it involved a major flaw in Microsoft's Windows operating system, which is widely used on computers for various information-related activities [94831, 94377, 94931]. (b) Not directly related to transportation. (c) Not directly related to natural resources. (d) Not directly related to sales. (e) Not directly related to construction. (f) Not directly related to manufacturing. (g) Not directly related to utilities. (h) Not directly related to finance. (i) Not directly related to knowledge. (j) Not directly related to health. (k) Not directly related to entertainment. (l) The software failure incident had implications for government systems as the National Security Agency (NSA) discovered the flaw and worked with Microsoft to address the vulnerability, highlighting the importance of cybersecurity in government operations [94831, 94377, 94931]. (m) Not directly related to any other industry. |
Article ID: 94831
Article ID: 94377
Article ID: 94931