Incident: Adobe Cybersecurity Breach: Massive Data Theft and Source Code Compromise

Published Date: 2013-10-29

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident happened in October 2013 [Article 22725, Article 22389]
System 1. Adobe Systems Inc's cyber-security system [22725, 22389] 2. Adobe's customer ID and password encryption system [22725, 22389] 3. Adobe's source code protection system for Photoshop, Acrobat, ColdFusion, and ColdFusion Builder [22725]
Responsible Organization 1. Hackers [22725, 22389]
Impacted Organization 1. Adobe Systems Inc [22725, 22389]
Software Causes 1. Cybersecurity breach leading to unauthorized access to customer accounts and data, including Adobe IDs, encrypted passwords, and credit card information [22725, 22389] 2. Theft of source code for Adobe products like Photoshop, Acrobat, ColdFusion, and ColdFusion Builder [22725] 3. Potential decryption of encrypted passwords by attackers, posing a risk for future attacks due to password reuse by users [22725]
Non-software Causes 1. Lack of robust cybersecurity measures leading to a cyberattack [22725, 22389] 2. Insufficient protection of customer data and accounts [22725, 22389] 3. Inadequate encryption of passwords and sensitive information [22725, 22389]
Impacts 1. Data breach affecting over 38 million customer accounts, including stolen credit card information and other personal data [22725, 22389]. 2. Source code theft of Photoshop editing software and other products like Acrobat, ColdFusion, and ColdFusion Builder [22725]. 3. Potential risk of attackers accessing encrypted passwords and using them for future attacks due to the possibility of decrypting them [22725, 22389]. 4. Uncertainty regarding the extent of invalid account information breached and the potential for follow-on cyber attacks [22725]. 5. Adobe resetting passwords for affected accounts and notifying users of the breach [22389].
Preventions 1. Implementing stronger encryption methods for storing sensitive data such as passwords and credit card information could have prevented the software failure incident [22725, 22389]. 2. Regularly conducting security audits and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities in the software system could have helped prevent the cyberattack on Adobe [22725, 22389]. 3. Enforcing strict password policies, such as requiring users to use complex and unique passwords, could have made it harder for attackers to access accounts even if encrypted passwords were stolen [22725, 22389]. 4. Implementing multi-factor authentication for user accounts could have added an extra layer of security and made it more difficult for unauthorized users to gain access [22725, 22389]. 5. Enhancing monitoring and detection capabilities to quickly identify and respond to security breaches could have minimized the impact of the software failure incident [22725, 22389].
Fixes 1. Enhancing cybersecurity measures to prevent future cyber attacks like the one experienced by Adobe, such as implementing stronger encryption protocols and multi-factor authentication [22725, 22389]. 2. Conducting a thorough review of the software code to identify and patch any vulnerabilities that were exploited by the attackers [22725]. 3. Implementing regular security audits and penetration testing to proactively identify and address potential security weaknesses in the software [22725, 22389]. 4. Educating users on the importance of using unique and strong passwords for their accounts to prevent unauthorized access in case of data breaches [22725, 22389]. 5. Promptly notifying affected users and providing guidance on how to secure their accounts, such as resetting passwords and monitoring for any suspicious activity [22725, 22389].
References 1. Adobe Systems Inc spokesperson, Heather Edell [Article 22725, Article 22389] 2. Security researcher and expert on cyber attacks, Marcus Carey [Article 22725] 3. Adobe's customer security alert page [Article 22389]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization (a) The software failure incident related to a cyberattack on Adobe affected more than 38 million customer accounts, with hackers obtaining data on customer accounts and stealing part of the source code to Photoshop editing software [22725, 22389]. (b) The incident involving a cyberattack on Adobe is not explicitly mentioned to have happened at other organizations in the provided articles.
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the Adobe breach incident where attackers were able to steal data on more than 38 million customer accounts, including encrypted passwords and source code to various Adobe products like Photoshop, Acrobat, ColdFusion, and ColdFusion Builder. This breach highlights a failure in the design of Adobe's security measures, allowing hackers to access sensitive information and source code [22725, 22389]. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can be observed in the Adobe breach incident where attackers gained access to Adobe IDs, encrypted passwords, and credit card information of millions of users. This indicates a failure in the operation of Adobe's systems, potentially due to vulnerabilities in their security protocols or procedures for handling customer data [22725, 22389].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident involving Adobe was primarily due to factors originating from within the system. The breach involved hackers gaining access to Adobe IDs, encrypted passwords, and customer data stored within Adobe's databases [22725, 22389]. The attackers also managed to steal source code for various Adobe products, indicating a breach of internal systems and security measures [22725]. Adobe took steps to reset passwords and notify affected users, suggesting that the failure was contained within the company's software and infrastructure [22389].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: Both articles [22725, 22389] report on a cyberattack against Adobe that resulted in a significant data breach. The attack involved hackers gaining unauthorized access to Adobe customer accounts, including obtaining data on more than 38 million customer accounts. The attackers were able to steal part of the source code for Adobe's Photoshop editing software and also accessed Adobe IDs and encrypted passwords stored in a separate database. The breach exposed a large number of active accounts, as well as invalid or inactive accounts with invalid encrypted passwords. Adobe spokeswoman Heather Edell mentioned that the company reset passwords for affected accounts and completed email notifications to users. The incident was primarily caused by the cyberattack and the unauthorized access to Adobe's systems, indicating a non-human action as the main contributing factor to the software failure.
Dimension (Hardware/Software) software (a) The software failure incident related to hardware: - The articles do not mention any hardware-related issues contributing to the software failure incident. Therefore, there is no information available regarding hardware contributing factors in this case. (b) The software failure incident related to software: - The software failure incident in this case was primarily due to software-related factors. Adobe Systems Inc experienced a cyber-security breach where attackers obtained data on more than 38 million customer accounts, including stealing part of the source code to Photoshop editing software and other products like Acrobat, ColdFusion, and ColdFusion Builder [22725, 22389]. The breach involved hackers accessing Adobe IDs, encrypted passwords, and credit card information, indicating a software-related vulnerability that allowed unauthorized access to sensitive data stored in Adobe's systems.
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is malicious in nature. The incident involved a cyberattack on Adobe Systems Inc, where attackers obtained data on more than 38 million customer accounts, including stealing part of the source code to widely used software like Photoshop, Acrobat, ColdFusion, and ColdFusion Builder [22725, 22389]. The attackers accessed Adobe IDs, encrypted passwords, credit card information, and other data, indicating a deliberate attempt to breach the system and steal sensitive information. The attackers may have been able to access encrypted passwords in plain text, posing a significant security threat and potential for future attacks [22725].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions (a) The software failure incident related to the Adobe cyberattack can be attributed to poor decisions made by the company in terms of cybersecurity measures. The breach was a result of attackers gaining access to a significant amount of customer data, including customer IDs, encrypted passwords, and credit card information. The incident was a result of inadequate security measures and vulnerabilities in Adobe's systems, indicating poor decisions in safeguarding customer data [22725, 22389]. (b) The software failure incident can also be linked to accidental decisions or unintended consequences. The breach occurred due to the attackers exploiting vulnerabilities in Adobe's systems, leading to the exposure of sensitive customer information. The incident was not intentional but rather a consequence of the attackers' actions and the existing weaknesses in Adobe's security infrastructure [22725, 22389].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the Adobe cyber-security breach incident. The breach involved attackers obtaining data on more than 38 million customer accounts, including stealing part of the source code to widely used software like Photoshop and other Adobe products [22725, 22389]. This breach highlights a failure in ensuring the security and protection of customer data, indicating a lack of professional competence in implementing robust security measures to safeguard sensitive information. (b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is not explicitly mentioned in the articles. The breach at Adobe was a result of a deliberate cyberattack by hackers who gained unauthorized access to customer accounts and sensitive data. The incident does not appear to be accidental but rather a targeted and intentional attack on Adobe's systems [22725, 22389].
Duration temporary The software failure incident reported in the articles is temporary. This is evident from the fact that Adobe took immediate actions such as resetting passwords for affected accounts, sending email notifications to users, and posting a customer security alert page with information on the breach [22725, 22389]. Additionally, Adobe spokeswoman Heather Edell mentioned ongoing investigations to determine the extent of the breach and the notification process for affected users [22725, 22389]. These actions and statements indicate that the incident was temporary and that steps were taken to address the breach and mitigate its impact.
Behaviour omission, value, other (a) crash: - The articles do not mention a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. (b) omission: - The software failure incident involved omission as the attackers gained access to Adobe IDs, encrypted passwords, and credit card information, affecting a large number of users [22725, 22389]. (c) timing: - The articles do not mention a timing failure where the system performs its intended functions too late or too early. (d) value: - The software failure incident involved a value failure as the attackers obtained data on customer accounts, including credit card information and other personal data [22725, 22389]. (e) byzantine: - The articles do not mention a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. (f) other: - The other behavior in this software failure incident is a security breach due to hackers gaining unauthorized access to sensitive customer data and source code, leading to a significant data breach [22725, 22389].

IoT System Layer

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

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence property (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure Both articles [22725, 22389] report that Adobe's software failure incident involved a cyber-security breach where attackers obtained data on more than 38 million customer accounts. The attackers stole part of the source code to Photoshop editing software and accessed Adobe IDs, encrypted passwords, and credit card information. This breach resulted in a significant impact on people's data and potentially their financial security.
Domain information (a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is related to the information industry. Adobe Systems Inc, the company affected by the cyberattack, is a major player in the software industry, particularly known for its creative software products like Photoshop and Acrobat, which are widely used for content creation and distribution [22725, 22389]. The breach involved the theft of customer data, including Adobe IDs, encrypted passwords, and credit card information, impacting millions of users who rely on Adobe's software for their information-related needs.

Sources

Back to List