Incident: Data Breach at Electronic Arts: Source Code Theft Impact.

Published Date: 2021-06-10

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident involving the breach of Electronic Arts' systems happened in early June 2021 as mentioned in [Article 115245], [Article 115505], and [Article 115591].
System 1. Frostbite source code 2. Software development tools for FIFA 21 3. Server code for player matchmaking in FIFA 22 These systems/components failed in the software failure incident reported in the news articles [115245, 115505, 115591].
Responsible Organization 1. Hackers [115245, 115505, 115591]
Impacted Organization 1. Electronic Arts (EA) - The software failure incident impacted EA as hackers broke into their systems and stole source code and related tools used in their games [115245, 115505, 115591].
Software Causes 1. Hackers breached Electronic Arts' systems and stole source code used in company games, including the Frostbite engine, FIFA 21 software development tools, and server code for player matchmaking in FIFA 22 [115245, 115505, 115591]. 2. The stolen source code could potentially be used by other developers to create hacks for games, exploit deeper flaws, or be sold on the dark web to malicious threat actors [115245]. 3. The hackers advertised about 800 gigabytes of stolen data, including source codes for FIFA 21 and Frostbite engine, on underground hacking forums [115591].
Non-software Causes 1. Work-from-home policies due to the COVID-19 pandemic weakening security [115505] 2. High-profile cyberattacks on other companies like JBS USA and Colonial Pipeline [115505] 3. Lack of cooperation among cybercriminals involved in the theft [115591]
Impacts 1. The hackers stole about 780 gigabytes of data from Electronic Arts, including source code for games like FIFA, Madden, and Battlefield, as well as software development tools for FIFA 21 and server code for player matchmaking in FIFA 22 [115245, 115505, 115591]. 2. The stolen data was advertised for sale on underground hacking forums, potentially leading to the risk of the source code being used by other developers to create hacks for games [115245, 115505, 115591]. 3. The incident raised concerns about potential exploitation of the leaked source code, identification of deeper flaws for exploitation, and the sale of the stolen code on the dark web to malicious threat actors [115245]. 4. Despite the breach, Electronic Arts stated that no player data was compromised, and they did not expect an impact on their games or business [115245, 115505, 115591]. 5. The breach highlighted the ongoing trend of cyber attacks targeting major companies, with Electronic Arts being the latest victim in a series of cyberattacks on U.S. companies [115505]. 6. The incident led to a decline in EA's stock price, with shares falling as much as 2.4% following the news of the data breach [115505].
Preventions 1. Implementing robust cybersecurity measures such as regular security audits, penetration testing, and network monitoring to detect and prevent unauthorized access [115245, 115505, 115591]. 2. Ensuring secure coding practices and access controls to protect sensitive source code and development tools from being compromised [115245, 115505, 115591]. 3. Educating employees on cybersecurity best practices, including phishing awareness and proper handling of sensitive information, to prevent social engineering attacks that could lead to breaches [115245, 115505, 115591]. 4. Promptly applying software patches and updates to address known vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers [115245, 115505, 115591]. 5. Implementing multi-factor authentication for accessing critical systems and data to add an extra layer of security against unauthorized access [115245, 115505, 115591].
Fixes 1. Enhancing cybersecurity measures to prevent future breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive source code [115245, 115505, 115591]. 2. Conducting a thorough investigation to identify the vulnerabilities that led to the breach and implementing necessary security improvements [115245, 115505, 115591]. 3. Collaborating with law enforcement officials and cybersecurity experts to track down the hackers responsible for the breach and potentially recover the stolen data [115245, 115505, 115591]. 4. Monitoring underground forums and cybercriminal activities to prevent the sale and misuse of the stolen source code and tools [115245, 115505, 115591]. 5. Implementing stricter access controls and encryption protocols to safeguard sensitive data and prevent unauthorized copying or distribution of the source code [115245, 115505, 115591].
References 1. Online forum posts reviewed by CNN Business and vetted by an independent cybersecurity expert [Article 115245] 2. Vice, which reported the data breach [Article 115245] 3. Vice's Motherboard, which reported the stolen data and source codes [Article 115505] 4. Intel 471, a cybercrime intelligence firm, which reviewed the hacker's posts and provided insights [Article 115591]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident has happened again at Electronic Arts (EA). EA experienced a data breach where hackers stole game source code and related tools, including source codes for popular titles like "FIFA 21" and tools for the Frostbite engine [115245, 115505, 115591]. (b) The software failure incident has also occurred at other organizations. The articles mention high-profile cyberattacks on companies like JBS USA and Colonial Pipeline, indicating a trend of cyberattacks targeting various organizations [115505, 115591].
Phase (Design/Operation) design (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase: - The incident involved hackers breaking into Electronic Arts' systems and stealing source code used in company games, including the Frostbite source code powering games like FIFA, Madden, and Battlefield [115245, 115505, 115591]. - The hackers claimed to have obtained software development tools for FIFA 21 and server code for player matchmaking in FIFA 22, indicating a breach in the design phase where these critical components were compromised [115245]. - Losing control over source code could lead to potential issues such as copying by other developers or creating hacks for games, highlighting a design vulnerability [115245]. - The stolen data included source codes for popular titles like FIFA 21 and tools for the Frostbite engine, emphasizing a breach in the design phase where these core components were targeted [115505, 115591]. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase: - The breach did not result in any compromise of player data, indicating that the operation of player data security measures was not breached [115245, 115505, 115591]. - Electronic Arts stated that they had already made security improvements following the incident and did not expect an impact on their games or business operations, suggesting that the breach did not affect the operational aspects of their systems [115505, 115591]. - The incident involved an intrusion into EA's network resulting in the theft of game source code and tools, indicating a breach in the operational phase where unauthorized access occurred [115591].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident involving Electronic Arts (EA) was primarily due to factors originating from within the system. Hackers were able to break into EA's systems and steal source code, including the Frostbite engine used in games like FIFA, Madden, and Battlefield [115245, 115505, 115591]. This breach led to the theft of about 780 gigabytes of data, which included software development tools and server code for player matchmaking [115245]. The incident involved the theft of game source code and related tools, impacting EA's internal systems and development processes [115505]. The stolen data was advertised for sale on underground hacking forums, indicating a breach that originated within EA's systems [115505, 115591]. The breach did not compromise player data, highlighting that the failure was more focused on the theft of internal assets rather than external user information [115245, 115505, 115591]. EA confirmed that portions of FIFA and Frostbite code had been stolen, further emphasizing the internal nature of the incident [115591]. (b) outside_system: The software failure incident was not primarily due to factors originating from outside the system. While there have been other high-profile cyberattacks on companies like JBS USA and Colonial Pipeline, the EA breach was not a ransomware attack [115245, 115505, 115591]. The breach was a result of hackers breaking into EA's systems and stealing internal source code and tools, rather than an external ransomware threat [115245, 115505, 115591]. The incident did not involve a direct external attack on EA's systems but rather a breach that occurred internally, leading to the theft of sensitive data [115245, 115505, 115591].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions (a) The software failure incident in this case was due to non-human actions, specifically a hack by cybercriminals who broke into Electronic Arts' systems and stole source code and related tools used in their games [115245, 115505, 115591]. (b) The incident was not caused by human actions but rather by external hackers who infiltrated EA's network and obtained sensitive data without the involvement of EA employees [115245, 115505, 115591].
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, it is unknown if hardware played a role in this incident. (b) The software failure incident related to software: - The software failure incident in this case was primarily due to a cyberattack where hackers broke into Electronic Arts' systems and stole source code used in company games like FIFA, Madden, and Battlefield [115245, 115505, 115591]. - The hackers claimed to have obtained 780 gigabytes of data, including the Frostbite source code and software development tools for FIFA 21 and server code for player matchmaking in FIFA 22 [115245]. - Losing control over source code could lead to potential issues such as the creation of hacks for games or exploitation of deeper flaws in the code [115245]. - The breach involved the theft of game source code and related tools, with hackers advertising the stolen data for sale on underground forums [115505, 115591]. - Electronic Arts confirmed that portions of FIFA and Frostbite code had been stolen, and the incident was reported by Vice News [115591]. - The breach did not compromise player data, and EA stated that they do not expect an impact on their games or business as a result of the incident [115245, 115505, 115591].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The software failure incident in this case is malicious. Hackers broke into Electronic Arts' systems and stole source code used in company games, including the Frostbite engine and software development tools for FIFA 21 and server code for player matchmaking in FIFA 22 [115245]. The hackers claimed to offer "full capability of exploiting on all EA services" and were advertising the stolen data for sale on underground hacking forums [115505]. The incident involved theft of about 780 gigabytes of data, and the hackers were offering the stolen information for sale, indicating a malicious intent to profit from the stolen source code [115591]. (b) The software failure incident is non-malicious. The breach did not compromise player data, and Electronic Arts stated that they do not expect an impact on their games or business as a result of the incident [115245]. The company also mentioned that no player data was accessed, and they have no reason to believe there is any risk to player privacy [115505]. Additionally, the company confirmed that no ransom requests were made in connection with the breach [115591].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) unknown (a) The software failure incident involving Electronic Arts (EA) was not due to poor decisions but rather a deliberate act by hackers. The incident was a result of hackers breaking into EA's systems and stealing source code and related tools used in the company's games [115245, 115505, 115591]. The hackers claimed to have obtained 780 gigabytes of data, including the Frostbite source code and software development tools for FIFA games. This deliberate act of hacking and data theft was not a consequence of poor decisions made by the company but rather a targeted cyberattack.
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the articles. The incident involved hackers breaking into Electronic Arts' systems and stealing source code used in company games, including the Frostbite engine that powers popular titles like FIFA, Madden, and Battlefield [115245, 115505, 115591]. The breach highlighted a significant security lapse within EA's network, indicating a failure in ensuring robust cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive source code and tools. (b) The software failure incident does not appear to be accidental but rather a deliberate act by hackers who exploited vulnerabilities in EA's systems to steal valuable source code and tools [115245, 115505, 115591]. The breach was a result of a targeted cyberattack aimed at obtaining specific data for malicious purposes, rather than an accidental error or glitch within the software itself.
Duration temporary (a) The software failure incident in this case is considered temporary. The breach involving the theft of Electronic Arts' game source code and related tools was a result of specific circumstances, such as hackers breaking into the systems and stealing the data. The incident is not a permanent failure as it was caused by external factors and not inherent to the software itself. The company stated that they do not expect the breach to have an impact on their games or business, indicating that the incident is not a permanent failure [115245, 115505, 115591].
Behaviour other (a) crash: The software failure incident in the articles does not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. The incident primarily revolves around a data breach where hackers stole source code and related tools from Electronic Arts (EA) [115245, 115505, 115591]. (b) omission: The incident does not involve a failure due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). The focus is on the theft of source code and tools rather than the system failing to execute its functions [115245, 115505, 115591]. (c) timing: The incident is not related to a failure due to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The primary issue is the unauthorized access and theft of data rather than timing-related failures [115245, 115505, 115591]. (d) value: The software failure incident does not involve a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The main concern is the theft of valuable source code and tools used in EA's games [115245, 115505, 115591]. (e) byzantine: The incident does not exhibit a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The primary issue is the unauthorized access and theft of data rather than erratic system behavior [115245, 115505, 115591]. (f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be categorized as a security breach leading to the theft of source code and related tools. This unauthorized access and data theft can be considered a form of security incident rather than a traditional software failure [115245, 115505, 115591].

IoT System Layer

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

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence property, non-human, theoretical_consequence (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure The software failure incident involving Electronic Arts (EA) resulted in hackers breaking into the company's systems and stealing source code used in company games, including the Frostbite engine and software development tools for FIFA 21 and server code for player matchmaking in FIFA 22 [115245]. The hackers claimed to have obtained about 780 gigabytes of data from EA, which included valuable source code and tools [115245]. This theft of intellectual property could potentially lead to the source code being used by other developers or to create hacks for games, as mentioned by cybersecurity experts [115245]. Additionally, the stolen data was advertised for sale on underground hacking forums, indicating a direct impact on EA's property in terms of intellectual property theft [115505].
Domain entertainment (a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is related to the entertainment industry. Electronic Arts (EA), the company affected by the breach, is one of the world's biggest video game publishers, known for popular titles such as FIFA, Madden, Battlefield, and others [115245, 115505, 115591]. The stolen data included source code for games like FIFA 21 and tools for the Frostbite game engine, which powers several video game series [115245, 115505, 115591]. The incident involved hackers breaking into EA's systems and stealing significant amounts of data, highlighting the vulnerability of companies in the entertainment sector to cyberattacks [115245, 115505, 115591].

Sources

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