Incident: Security Vulnerability in Apple's Touch ID Fingerprint Scanner.

Published Date: 2013-09-22

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident of hackers successfully cracking Apple's new fingerprint scanner on the iPhone 5S happened in September 2013 as reported in [Article 21688], [Article 21650], and [Article 21433].
System 1. Apple's Touch ID fingerprint scanner system [21688, 21650, 21433]
Responsible Organization 1. Hackers from the Chaos Computer Club in Germany [21688, 21650, 21433]
Impacted Organization 1. Apple - The software failure incident involving the bypassing of Apple's TouchID fingerprint scanner impacted Apple as it raised concerns about the security of their biometric authentication system [21688, 21650, 21433].
Software Causes 1. The software cause of the failure incident was the vulnerability in Apple's new fingerprint scanner, TouchID, which allowed hackers to bypass the security system by creating a fake finger to press on the sensor [21688, 21650, 21433]. 2. Another software cause was the bug identified in Apple's new operating system, iOS 7, which allowed people to bypass the lock screen and access certain functions using the Siri voice assistant from the lock screen [21688].
Non-software Causes 1. The failure incident was caused by the ability of hackers to bypass the biometric security system of Apple's Touch ID fingerprint scanner by using everyday means such as photographing a fingerprint from a glass surface and creating a fake fingerprint [Article 21650, Article 21433]. 2. The incident was also attributed to the vulnerability in Apple's new operating system, iOS 7, which allowed people to bypass the lock screen and access certain functions using the Siri voice assistant from the lock screen [Article 21688].
Impacts 1. The software failure incident where hackers successfully cracked Apple's new fingerprint scanner had a significant impact on user security and privacy. The incident raised concerns about the vulnerability of using fingerprint biometrics as an access control method, highlighting the risks associated with relying on fingerprints for security [21688, 21650, 21433]. 2. The incident undermined the security claims made by Apple regarding the strength of their fingerprint security system. It demonstrated that the Touch ID system could be bypassed using relatively simple methods, such as photographing a fingerprint from a glass surface and creating a fake fingerprint to unlock the phone [21688, 21650, 21433]. 3. The incident also highlighted the limitations of biometric security measures compared to traditional passcodes. Unlike passwords that can be changed, fingerprints are unique and cannot be altered, making them a potentially risky method for securing sensitive data [21688, 21650, 21433]. 4. The discovery of the vulnerability in Apple's fingerprint scanner system by the Chaos Computer Club and other researchers led to concerns among businesses that rely on the iPhone for accessing corporate accounts. The physical access and fingerprint capture method used in the hack raised the risk of a security breach for organizations using the device for sensitive information [21433]. 5. The incident not only impacted the security of the fingerprint scanner but also highlighted other security flaws in Apple's new operating system, iOS 7. Researchers identified a bug that allowed unauthorized access to certain functions on locked iPhones using the Siri voice assistant, further compromising user privacy and data security [21688]. 6. Overall, the software failure incident involving the bypass of Apple's fingerprint scanner and the security flaws in iOS 7 had wide-reaching implications for user trust in biometric security measures, Apple's security claims, and the overall security of iPhones and iOS devices [21688, 21650, 21433].
Preventions 1. Implementing additional security measures alongside fingerprint biometrics, such as requiring a passcode in certain situations, to provide an extra layer of protection [Article 21650]. 2. Conducting thorough testing and security assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities before the product release, including testing for potential bypass methods like the one demonstrated by the hackers [Article 21433]. 3. Enhancing the resolution and complexity of the fingerprint scanning technology to make it more difficult for hackers to create fake fingerprints, thereby increasing the security level of the system [Article 21688].
Fixes 1. Implementing additional security measures beyond fingerprint biometrics, such as multi-factor authentication, to enhance overall security [21688, 21650, 21433]. 2. Releasing software updates to address vulnerabilities and bugs, such as the Siri bug that allowed bypassing the lock screen [21688]. 3. Enhancing the fingerprint sensor technology to make it more secure and resistant to hacking attempts, possibly by improving the resolution and authentication processes [21650, 21433]. 4. Educating users about the limitations and risks associated with relying solely on fingerprint biometrics for security purposes [21650, 21433]. 5. Conducting thorough testing and security assessments to identify and address potential weaknesses in the software and hardware components [21650, 21433].
References 1. Chaos Computer Club [Article 21688, Article 21650, Article 21433] 2. Sen. Al Franken [Article 21688, Article 21650] 3. Cenzic, a security firm based in California [Article 21688] 4. Apple spokeswoman [Article 21688] 5. Tyler Rorabaugh, Cenzic's vice president of engineering [Article 21688] 6. Apple [Article 21433] 7. Craig Federighi, Apple's head of software [Article 21433] 8. BusinessWeek [Article 21433]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident related to the security vulnerability of Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor has happened again at Apple. The Chaos Computer Club in Germany claimed to have successfully bypassed Apple's Touch ID security system by creating a fake fingerprint and using it to unlock an iPhone 5S [21688, 21650, 21433]. (b) The software failure incident related to the security vulnerability of fingerprint biometrics has also happened at other organizations or with their products and services. The Chaos Computer Club's demonstration of bypassing fingerprint biometrics raises concerns for businesses using similar security methods for access control. The group emphasized that fingerprint biometrics should be avoided as an access control method due to its susceptibility to being hacked [21688, 21650, 21433].
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the articles discussing the security vulnerabilities in Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5S. The Chaos Computer Club in Germany claimed to have successfully bypassed the biometric security by creating a fake fingerprint using a high-resolution image of a fingerprint captured from a glass surface [21688, 21650, 21433]. This incident highlights a failure in the design of the fingerprint sensor system, which was supposed to provide secure access control but was compromised due to the method used to capture and replicate fingerprints. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can be observed in the article discussing a bug in Apple's iOS 7 operating system that allowed users to bypass the lock screen and access certain functions using the Siri voice assistant from the lock screen [21688]. This issue arose from the operation of the system, specifically the Siri feature, which could be exploited to perform unauthorized actions even when the phone was locked.
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system, outside_system (a) The software failure incident related to the Apple's fingerprint sensor being hacked by the Chaos Computer Club can be categorized as a within_system failure. The hackers were able to bypass the security system by manipulating the fingerprint sensor within the iPhone 5S device itself. They achieved this by creating a fake fingerprint using a high-resolution image of a fingerprint and other materials, which they then used to unlock the phone [21688, 21650, 21433]. (b) On the other hand, the incident can also be considered an outside_system failure as the hackers used external means to capture the fingerprint image from a glass surface and then created a fake fingerprint to trick the sensor. This method involved physical access to the phone and did not rely on extracting the fingerprint representation from the phone itself, where Apple claims it is securely stored [21688, 21650, 21433].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The software failure incident related to the Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor being bypassed by hackers was primarily due to the vulnerability in the fingerprint biometrics system itself. The hackers were able to create a fake fingerprint using a high-resolution image of a fingerprint captured from a glass surface and then used it to unlock the iPhone 5S [21688, 21650, 21433]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - The software failure incident related to the Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor being bypassed by hackers also involved human actions in terms of the hackers actively exploiting the vulnerability in the system. The hackers from the Chaos Computer Club in Germany used everyday means to defeat the security system, including photographing a fingerprint, cleaning up the image, printing it onto a transparent sheet, and using latex or woodglue to create a fake fingerprint for authentication [21688, 21650, 21433].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware, software (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - The Chaos Computer Club in Germany claimed to have cracked Apple's fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5S by using a high-quality fingerprint lifted from a glass surface and creating a "fake fingerprint" to unlock the phone [21688, 21650, 21433]. - The group did not claim to have extracted the fingerprint representation from the phone itself but relied on capturing a high-quality fingerprint elsewhere and having physical access to the phone [21433]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - Outside researchers identified a bug in Apple's new operating system, iOS 7, where people could bypass the lock screen and access functions like sending messages and making calls using the Siri voice assistant from the lock screen [21688]. - Cenzic, a security firm, uncovered the flaw in iOS 7 and noted that the vulnerability could allow unauthorized access even if the phone is locked [21688]. - Apple confirmed that they were aware of the Siri bug and were investigating the issue, indicating a software-related security flaw [21688].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious, non-malicious (a) The software failure incident related to the malicious objective: - The Chaos Computer Club in Germany claimed to have successfully cracked Apple's new fingerprint scanner, TouchID, by creating a fake finger to press on the sensor, allowing them to unlock an iPhone 5s [21688]. - The group used high-resolution photographs of fingerprints left on glass surfaces to create fake fingers that could trick the sensor [21650]. - The Chaos Computer Club demonstrated how they bypassed the security system by photographing an iPhone user's fingerprint from a glass surface and using that captured image to verify the user's login credentials [21433]. (b) The software failure incident related to the non-malicious objective: - Researchers identified a bug in Apple's new operating system, iOS 7, which allowed people to bypass the lock screen and access certain functions using the Siri voice assistant from the lock screen [21688]. - Cenzic, a security firm, uncovered the flaw in iOS 7 that allowed users to make calls, send messages, and see contact information even if the phone was locked, highlighting the thin line between security and convenience [21688].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions (a) The intent of the software failure incident related to poor_decisions: - The software failure incident related to the Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor being hacked by the Chaos Computer Club in Germany can be attributed to poor decisions made by Apple in implementing fingerprint biometrics as an access control method. The Chaos Computer Club highlighted that using fingerprints for security is unsuitable and should be avoided due to the ease with which fingerprints can be replicated and used to bypass security measures [21688, 21650, 21433]. (b) The intent of the software failure incident related to accidental_decisions: - The software failure incident does not seem to be related to accidental decisions or unintended mistakes. Instead, it primarily revolves around the intentional actions of hackers who exploited vulnerabilities in Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor system [21688, 21650, 21433].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence (a) The articles report on a software failure incident related to development incompetence. The incident involves the bypassing of Apple's new fingerprint scanner, TouchID, by a team of hackers from the Chaos Computer Club in Germany. The hackers were able to crack the security system by creating a fake finger using a high-resolution image of a fingerprint left on a glass surface [21688, 21650, 21433]. (b) The software failure incident can also be categorized as accidental. The incident occurred due to the inherent vulnerabilities in using fingerprint biometrics as an access control method, which was exploited by the hackers through a series of steps involving capturing high-quality fingerprints and creating fake fingers to unlock the iPhone 5S [21688, 21650, 21433].
Duration permanent (a) The software failure incident in the articles is considered permanent. The failure in this case is due to contributing factors introduced by all circumstances, specifically the inherent vulnerability of using fingerprint biometrics as an access control method. The Chaos Computer Club successfully cracked Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5S by creating a fake fingerprint from a high-quality fingerprint lifted from a glass surface [21688, 21650, 21433]. This incident highlights the fundamental flaw in relying on fingerprints for security, as fingerprints are easily accessible and cannot be changed like passwords. The group's demonstration showed that the security feature could be bypassed using everyday means, emphasizing the permanent nature of this software failure.
Behaviour omission, value, other (a) crash: - The articles do not mention any instances of a system crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. (b) omission: - The Chaos Computer Club successfully bypassed Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor by creating a fake fingerprint, allowing them to unlock the iPhone 5S without the intended authentication process [21688, 21650, 21433]. - Researchers identified a bug in Apple's iOS 7 that allowed users to bypass the lock screen and access certain functions on the phone without proper authentication [21688]. (c) timing: - There is no mention of a timing-related failure in the articles. (d) value: - The software failure incident related to the Touch ID fingerprint sensor can be categorized under a value failure as the system allowed unauthorized access by accepting a fake fingerprint as valid authentication [21688, 21650, 21433]. (e) byzantine: - The articles do not describe any instances of a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. (f) other: - The software failure incident related to the Touch ID fingerprint sensor can also be considered as a failure due to a flaw in the security design of the system, allowing for unauthorized access through a fake fingerprint [21688, 21650, 21433].

IoT System Layer

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

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence property, theoretical_consequence (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure The software failure incident discussed in the articles relates to the bypassing of Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5S by hackers from the Chaos Computer Club in Germany. By creating fake fingerprints from high-resolution images of real fingerprints, the hackers were able to unlock the phone, potentially compromising the security of users' personal data and information stored on their devices [21688, 21650, 21433]. This breach of the fingerprint security system could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data and personal information stored on the iPhone, impacting users' property in terms of data security and privacy.
Domain information, finance (a) The failed system related to the production and distribution of information as it involved the security breach of Apple's new fingerprint scanner, TouchID, on the iPhone 5S [21688, 21650, 21433]. (h) The incident also has implications for the finance industry as the security of users' fingerprints on the iPhone 5S could potentially be exploited for unauthorized access to financial accounts or transactions [21650, 21433]. (m) The software failure incident is not directly related to any other industry mentioned in the options.

Sources

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