| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to vulnerable immobilizers due to cryptographic flaws has happened again at Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia. Researchers found vulnerabilities in the encryption systems used by immobilizers in these car models, specifically in how Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia implement a Texas Instruments encryption system called DST80. The vulnerability allowed hackers to clone keys and drive away in seconds [97176].
(b) The software failure incident related to vulnerable immobilizers due to cryptographic flaws has also happened at other organizations besides Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia. The researchers mentioned that the affected car models include the Tesla S, but Tesla pushed out a firmware update to address the vulnerability. The researchers reported the DST80 vulnerability to Tesla, and the company took action to block the attack. This indicates that similar vulnerabilities were present in the immobilizers of Tesla vehicles as well [97176]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in the articles is related to the design phase. Researchers from KU Leuven in Belgium and the University of Birmingham in the UK revealed new vulnerabilities they found in the encryption systems used by immobilizers in cars from Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia. They found problems in how these car manufacturers implemented a Texas Instruments encryption system called DST80, leading to cryptographic flaws in the immobilizers [97176].
(b) The software failure incident is also related to the operation phase. Once a hacker has derived the cryptographic value of a key fob using the vulnerabilities in the immobilizer encryption systems, they can start and drive the targeted car repeatedly. This operation phase failure allows thieves to exploit the vulnerabilities in the immobilizer systems to steal cars [97176]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article is primarily within_system. The vulnerability in the encryption systems used by immobilizers in cars, specifically how Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia implemented the Texas Instruments encryption system called DST80, allowed hackers to clone keys and drive away in seconds. The flaw was not in the DST80 encryption itself but in how the carmakers implemented it, such as using cryptographic keys based on serial numbers and using insufficient randomness in key fobs' secret values [97176]. This indicates that the failure originated from within the system, highlighting a flaw in the design and implementation of the encryption systems within the cars. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the articles is primarily due to non-human actions. The vulnerability in the encryption systems used by immobilizers in cars, specifically the DST80 encryption system, allowed hackers to clone keys and drive away in seconds without leaving a trace. The flaw in how carmakers implemented the encryption system, such as using easily guessable secret values and openly transmitting serial numbers, contributed to the vulnerability exploited by hackers [97176].
(b) Human actions also played a role in this software failure incident. The researchers from KU Leuven and the University of Birmingham reverse-engineered the firmware of immobilizers' electronic control units to analyze how they communicated with key fobs. They found it relatively easy to crack the secret value used for authentication in the encryption system. Additionally, the researchers developed a technique to derive the cryptographic value of a key fob by scanning it with an RFID reader from close range, which could then be used to start and drive the targeted car repeatedly [97176]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the article is related to hardware vulnerabilities in the encryption systems used by immobilizers in cars. The vulnerability allowed hackers to clone keys and drive away in seconds by exploiting flaws in the encryption systems used by Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia immobilizers. The flaw was not in the DST80 encryption system itself but in how carmakers implemented it, such as using cryptographic keys based on serial numbers and using insufficient randomness in key fobs [97176].
(b) The software failure incident also involves software vulnerabilities in the implementation of the encryption systems by carmakers. The software flaws allowed hackers to easily crack the secret values used for authentication in the immobilizers. For example, Toyota fobs' cryptographic key was based on their serial number, and Kia and Hyundai key fobs used insufficient randomness, making their secret values easy to guess. These software vulnerabilities contributed to the overall security weakness in the immobilizer systems [97176]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article is malicious in nature. Hackers exploited vulnerabilities in the encryption systems used by immobilizers in cars to clone keys and drive away vehicles without leaving a trace. The researchers from KU Leuven and the University of Birmingham identified cryptographic flaws in the immobilizers of various car models, including Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia, allowing attackers to impersonate keys and start the engine [97176]. The attack required the thief to scan a target key fob with an RFID reader from close range, enabling them to disable the immobilizer and start the car by turning the ignition barrel with a screwdriver or hot-wiring it [97176]. The vulnerability was reported to Tesla, which pushed out a firmware update to address the issue, but other carmakers did not respond or took different approaches to mitigate the risk [97176]. The researchers highlighted the ease with which they were able to crack the secret values used for authentication in the encryption systems, emphasizing the need for improved security measures in immobilizers to prevent such malicious attacks [97176]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
The intent of the software failure incident described in the articles can be categorized as follows:
(a) poor_decisions: The software failure incident can be attributed to poor decisions made by carmakers in implementing the encryption systems used by immobilizers in cars. Specifically, the vulnerabilities were found in how Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia implemented a Texas Instruments encryption system called DST80. For example, Toyota fobs' cryptographic key was based on their serial number, which was openly transmitted when scanned with an RFID reader, making it easier for hackers to derive the secret cryptographic value. Additionally, Kia and Hyundai key fobs used only 24 bits of randomness instead of the 80 bits offered by DST80, making their secret values easy to guess. These poor decisions in implementation led to the vulnerability exploited by hackers [97176].
(b) accidental_decisions: The software failure incident can also be attributed to accidental decisions or unintended consequences of the implementation of the encryption systems in the immobilizers. For instance, the researchers found it far too easy to crack the secret value used for authentication in the Texas Instruments DST80 encryption due to how carmakers implemented it. The accidental decisions or oversights in the implementation, such as using a serial number for cryptographic key generation or using insufficient randomness in key fobs, contributed to the vulnerability that allowed hackers to clone keys and start the engine of vulnerable cars [97176]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident in the article is related to development incompetence. The vulnerability in the encryption systems used by immobilizers in cars was due to cryptographic flaws and poor implementation by car manufacturers like Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia. The researchers found problems in how these companies implemented a Texas Instruments encryption system called DST80, leading to the vulnerability that allowed hackers to clone keys and drive away in seconds [97176]. The issue was not with the DST80 encryption itself but with how the carmakers implemented it, such as using easily guessable cryptographic keys based on serial numbers or using insufficient randomness in key fobs, making the secret values easy to derive [97176]. This highlights a lack of professional competence in implementing secure encryption systems in the affected vehicles. |
| Duration |
permanent |
The software failure incident described in the article is more of a permanent nature. The vulnerability in the encryption systems used by immobilizers in cars, specifically the DST80 encryption system, allowed hackers to clone keys and drive away in seconds. The flaw in the implementation of the encryption system by car manufacturers like Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia made it relatively easy for hackers to derive the secret cryptographic value and disable the immobilizer, enabling them to start the engine [97176]. This type of vulnerability poses a long-term risk to the security of the affected vehicles unless addressed through firmware updates or reprogramming of the immobilizers. |
| Behaviour |
value |
(a) crash: The software failure incident described in the article does not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. Instead, the vulnerability allows hackers to start the engine of the targeted cars, indicating that the system is still functioning but being exploited [97176].
(b) omission: The software failure incident does not involve the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). In this case, the vulnerability allows unauthorized individuals to perform functions that were not intended by the system designers, such as starting the engine without proper authentication [97176].
(c) timing: The software failure incident is not related to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The vulnerability described in the article allows hackers to start the engine of the targeted cars, indicating that the system responds to the unauthorized commands in a timely manner [97176].
(d) value: The software failure incident is related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The vulnerability allows hackers to derive secret cryptographic values and impersonate the key inside the car, disabling the immobilizer and starting the engine without proper authorization [97176].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not involve the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The vulnerability described in the article allows hackers to consistently exploit the cryptographic flaws in the immobilizers of certain car models to start the engine without proper authentication [97176].
(f) other: The software failure incident involves a security vulnerability in the encryption systems used by immobilizers in certain car models. This vulnerability allows hackers to clone keys, disable the immobilizer, and start the engine without proper authorization, indicating a critical flaw in the security design of the system [97176]. |