| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident has happened again at one_organization:
The incident involving the hack of a software development tool from Codecov is reminiscent of the SolarWinds attack from the previous year. Both incidents involved compromising widely used software tools to gain access to sensitive networks and data. The scale of the attack on Codecov and the skills required were compared to the SolarWinds attack, which led to breaches in U.S. government agencies and private companies [113407].
(b) The software failure incident has happened again at multiple_organization:
The hackers who breached Codecov's software development tool also targeted other makers of software development programs and companies providing technology services, including IBM. This indicates that the attackers were not solely focused on Codecov but were attempting to gain access to multiple organizations through their software systems. Additionally, other companies like Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) were investigating potential impacts on their systems and customers, suggesting a broader impact beyond Codecov [113407]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase occurred due to hackers tampering with a software development tool from Codecov, which allowed them to gain restricted access to hundreds of networks belonging to Codecov's customers. The attackers used automation to copy credentials and raid additional resources, expanding the breach beyond the initial disclosure by Codecov [113407].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase occurred as a result of the hackers using Codecov to get inside other makers of software development programs and companies providing technology services, potentially gaining credentials for thousands of other restricted systems. The FBI's San Francisco office is investigating the compromises, and likely victims have been notified. Private security companies are responding to assist multiple clients affected by the breach [113407]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
outside_system |
The software failure incident reported in Article 113407 was primarily due to contributing factors that originated from outside the system. Hackers tampered with a software development tool from Codecov, gaining access to hundreds of networks belonging to the company's customers. The attackers used automation to copy credentials and raid additional resources, expanding the breach beyond the initial disclosure by Codecov. Additionally, the hackers targeted other makers of software development programs and companies providing technology services, potentially gaining credentials for thousands of other restricted systems [113407]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in Article 113407 was primarily due to non-human actions, specifically hackers who tampered with a software development tool from Codecov. The hackers used automation to copy credentials and gain access to networks belonging to Codecov's customers and potentially other companies as well. The attack was described as involving automation and not direct human intervention in the development process [113407].
(b) Human actions were also involved in the response to the incident. Companies like IBM and HPE were investigating the matter, and Codecov users were busy resetting credentials as a precautionary measure. Additionally, security experts and private security companies were responding to assist multiple clients affected by the breach. These human actions were focused on investigating, mitigating, and responding to the software failure incident caused by the hackers [113407]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is primarily due to contributing factors that originate in software. Hackers tampered with a software development tool from Codecov, allowing them to gain restricted access to networks belonging to the company's customers. The attackers exploited the software auditing tools made by Codecov to access stored credentials for various internal software accounts, enabling them to copy credentials and raid additional resources [113407].
(b) The software failure incident is also related to software issues. Hackers manipulated Codecov's software to gain unauthorized access to networks, indicating a failure in the software's security measures. The breach involved the compromise of software development programs and technology service providers, highlighting vulnerabilities in the software used by various companies [113407]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident reported in Article 113407 was malicious in nature. Hackers tampered with a software development tool from Codecov to gain restricted access to hundreds of networks belonging to the company's customers. The attackers used automation to copy credentials and raid additional resources, expanding the breach beyond the initial disclosure by Codecov. The hackers also targeted other makers of software development programs and companies providing technology services, potentially gaining credentials for thousands of other restricted systems. The scale of the attack and the skills needed were compared to the SolarWinds attack from the previous year, indicating a sophisticated and intentional effort to compromise systems [113407]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident was likely due to poor decisions made by the hackers who tampered with Codecov's software development tool. The hackers used the program to gain restricted access to hundreds of networks belonging to the company's customers by exploiting the tool's access to stored credentials for various internal software accounts [113407]. This indicates a deliberate and calculated effort to breach the systems by taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the software tool.
(b) Additionally, the incident could also involve accidental decisions or mistakes made by Codecov in terms of not detecting the tampering with their software promptly. The tampering with Codecov's software began on January 31 but was only detected earlier this month when a customer raised concerns [113407]. This delay in detection could be seen as an accidental decision or oversight on the part of Codecov, contributing to the extent of the breach and its impact on customers. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is not attributed to development incompetence. The incident was caused by hackers who tampered with a software development tool from Codecov, allowing them to gain restricted access to hundreds of networks belonging to the company's customers [113407].
(b) The software failure incident was accidental in nature as it was a result of hackers exploiting vulnerabilities in Codecov's software development tool, rather than being caused by accidental factors introduced during development or maintenance processes. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident reported in Article 113407 was temporary. The incident involved hackers tampering with a software development tool from Codecov, which led to unauthorized access to hundreds of networks belonging to the company's customers. The breach was detected earlier this month when a customer raised concerns, indicating that the failure was temporary and not permanent [113407]. |
| Behaviour |
value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the article does not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions [113407].
(b) omission: The incident does not involve a failure due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s) [113407].
(c) timing: The incident does not involve a failure due to the system performing its intended functions correctly, but too late or too early [113407].
(d) value: The software failure incident in the article is related to a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. Hackers tampered with a software development tool from Codecov, gaining access to networks and credentials, allowing them to raid additional resources [113407].
(e) byzantine: The incident does not involve a failure due to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions [113407].
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident in the article can be categorized as a security breach caused by hackers exploiting a software development tool to gain unauthorized access to networks and credentials, leading to potential compromise of systems and data [113407]. |