Published Date: 2014-05-21
| Postmortem Analysis | |
|---|---|
| Timeline | 1. The software failure incident at eBay happened between late February and early March [Article 26807]. 2. The software failure incident at Facebook was discovered this week [Article 75370]. 3. The software failure incident at Facebook was discovered on Friday [Article 75689]. |
| System | 1. Facebook's code system [75689] 2. Facebook's "View As" feature [75689] |
| Responsible Organization | 1. Hackers were responsible for causing the software failure incident reported in Article 26807 [26807]. 2. A malicious third party was responsible for the software failure incident reported in Article 78993 [78993]. 3. Attackers exploited vulnerabilities in Facebook's code to cause the software failure incident reported in Article 75370 [75370]. 4. The attackers exploited a feature in Facebook's code to gain access to user accounts in the software failure incident reported in Article 75689 [75689]. |
| Impacted Organization | 1. eBay [26807, 26832, 26819, 26727] 2. Facebook [113141, 76413, 75370, 75689] |
| Software Causes | 1. The breach at eBay was caused by hackers compromising the log-in credentials of a small number of employees, allowing them access to eBay's corporate network [Article 26727]. 2. The attack on Facebook was due to three software flaws in Facebook's systems that allowed hackers to break into user accounts, including those of top executives, by exploiting the "View As" feature and a bug in Facebook's video-uploading program for birthday celebrations [Article 75370]. |
| Non-software Causes | 1. Hackers gaining access to eBay's corporate network by compromising login credentials of a small number of employees [Article 26727]. 2. Exploitation of software bugs in Facebook's systems that allowed attackers to break into user accounts, including those of top executives, through the "View As" feature and a video-uploading program for birthday celebrations [Article 75370]. 3. Weakness in Facebook's code that allowed attackers to exploit a feature and gain access to user accounts [Article 75689]. |
| Impacts | 1. Personal information of eBay users, including names, encrypted passwords, email addresses, physical addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth, was compromised in a cyber attack [26819, 26727]. 2. The breach at eBay affected a large number of accounts, potentially impacting millions of users [26819, 26727]. 3. The attack on Facebook's network exposed the personal information of nearly 50 million users, making it the largest breach in the company's history [75370, 75689]. 4. The attackers exploited vulnerabilities in Facebook's code to gain access to user accounts and potentially take control of them, affecting accounts of top executives like Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg [75370]. 5. Facebook's breach could have consequences beyond the platform, as the stolen credentials could have been used to access other sites and services that users log into using Facebook Connect [76413]. 6. The breach raised concerns about the security of user data and the potential risks of widespread hacking attacks on a platform as popular and widely used as Facebook [75689]. 7. The breach led to users being logged out of their accounts, notifications being sent to potentially affected users, and investigations being initiated to determine the extent of the attack and the identity of the attackers [75689]. 8. The breach prompted calls for more oversight and action from regulators and lawmakers to protect the privacy and security of social media users [75689]. |
| Preventions | 1. Implementing stricter security measures and regular security audits to identify vulnerabilities and address them promptly could have prevented the software failure incident [75370, 75689]. 2. Ensuring that access tokens and digital keys used for account access are securely stored and regularly rotated to minimize the risk of unauthorized access [75370]. 3. Conducting thorough testing of new features and tools introduced on the platform to identify and address any potential security flaws before they can be exploited by attackers [75689]. 4. Providing clear and timely communication to users about the breach and steps they can take to protect their accounts, such as changing passwords and enabling additional security measures [75370, 75689]. 5. Enforcing strict password policies, encouraging users to use unique and strong passwords, and avoiding password reuse across multiple platforms [75370]. 6. Collaborating with security experts and law enforcement agencies to investigate the breach, identify the attackers, and take legal action against them to deter future attacks [75370]. 7. Implementing multi-factor authentication and additional security layers to enhance the protection of user accounts and prevent unauthorized access [75370]. |
| Fixes | 1. Implementing stricter security measures to prevent unauthorized access to user data, such as enhancing encryption protocols and multi-factor authentication [26807, 26832]. 2. Conducting thorough investigations to identify the root cause of the breach and taking necessary steps to address vulnerabilities in the system [26807, 26832]. 3. Notifying users promptly about the breach and advising them to change their passwords as a precautionary measure [26807, 26832]. 4. Collaborating with law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident further and potentially track down the perpetrators [26807, 26832]. 5. Enhancing data protection practices and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations, such as GDPR, to prevent similar incidents in the future [113141, 76413]. 6. Providing transparency to users and regulators about the extent of the breach and the actions taken to mitigate its impact [113141, 76413]. 7. Strengthening partnerships with third-party services that use Facebook log-ins to ensure the security of user accounts across multiple platforms [75689]. 8. Taking responsibility for the breach and demonstrating a commitment to improving cybersecurity measures to regain user trust and prevent future breaches [75689]. | References | 1. Article 26807 gathers information from security experts, eBay's official statements, security researchers like Rik Ferguson and Professor Alan Woodward, and internet security firms like Trend Micro and AppRiver. 2. Article 113141 gathers information from Facebook's official statements, experts like Rob Shavell, Ivan Righi, and Varoon Bashyakarla, activist groups like the Real Facebook Oversight Board, and organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). 3. Article 26832 gathers information from eBay's official statements, security experts like Trey Ford and Michael Coates, cybersecurity firms like Rapid7 and Shape Security, and research analysts like Gil Luria. 4. Article 78993 gathers information from Quora's official statements, Quora CEO Adam D'Angelo, and internet security experts. 5. Article 26830 gathers information from eBay's official statements, security experts like Amit Yoran, and security analysts at companies like EMC Corp's RSA security division. 6. Article 26727 gathers information from eBay's official statements, security experts, research analysts like Ronald Josey and Gil Luria, and companies like Wedbush Securities. 7. Article 76413 gathers information from Facebook's official statements, security experts like Jason Polakis, and companies like Tinder and Match Group. 8. Article 75370 gathers information from Facebook's official statements, security experts, regulators, lawmakers, and organizations like the Federal Trade Commission. 9. Article 75689 gathers information from Facebook's official statements, data protection advisers like Jon Baines, law firms like Mishcon de Reya LLP, and reports from Bloomberg and California class action lawsuit filings. |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring | one_organization, multiple_organization | (a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization: - Facebook faced another software failure incident when attackers exploited three software flaws in Facebook's systems to gain access to user accounts, including those of top executives like Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg. This incident was the largest breach in Facebook's history and involved the theft of access tokens that could be used to access other apps like Spotify and Instagram through Facebook log-ins [#, #]. (b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization: - The incident involving the theft of access tokens from Facebook accounts could potentially affect other services that users access using their Facebook log-ins, such as Tinder and Spotify. The breach raised concerns about the security of user accounts across various platforms that rely on Facebook Connect for authentication [#, #]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) | design, operation | (a) In the software failure incident related to the Facebook hack, the attackers exploited three software bugs in Facebook's systems to gain access to user accounts, including those of top executives like Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg. These bugs were introduced by tools meant to improve privacy and upload birthday videos, showing a failure in the design phase of the system [#75370]. (b) The operation phase failure in the Facebook hack incident is evident in the attackers being able to gain access to user accounts and potentially take control of them. This breach occurred due to the exploitation of vulnerabilities in Facebook's code, allowing the attackers to access apps like Spotify, Instagram, and others that users log into through Facebook, showcasing a failure in the operation or misuse of the system [#75370]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) | within_system, outside_system | (a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the Facebook hack and eBay data breach was primarily due to vulnerabilities within the systems of these companies. In the Facebook hack, attackers exploited flaws in Facebook's code to gain access to user accounts and potentially take control of them [Article 75370]. Similarly, in the eBay data breach, hackers compromised the log-in credentials of employees, allowing them access to eBay's corporate network and stealing user data [Article 26727]. (b) outside_system: The software failure incidents were also influenced by factors originating from outside the systems. For example, in the Facebook hack, the attackers exploited software bugs in Facebook's systems, which were introduced by tools meant to improve privacy and upload birthday videos [Article 75370]. In the eBay data breach, the hackers gained access by obtaining login credentials for employees, indicating an external breach of the system [Article 26727]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) | non-human_actions, human_actions | (a) In the software failure incident related to the Facebook hack, the attackers exploited a feature in Facebook's code to gain access to user accounts and potentially take control of them. The attackers were able to break into user accounts by exploiting three software flaws in Facebook's systems, allowing them to forge "access tokens" that provided entry to user accounts. This breach was due to weaknesses in the platform's code, and the attackers could have gained access to other apps like Spotify, Instagram, and more that users accessed through Facebook [Article 75370]. (b) In the software failure incident related to the eBay hack, hackers raided eBay's network and compromised a database containing eBay user passwords. The breach occurred due to hackers compromising the log-in credentials of a small number of eBay employees, allowing them access to eBay's corporate network. The attackers stole email addresses, encrypted passwords, birth dates, mailing addresses, and other personal information of users. eBay urged all users to change their passwords as a precaution [Article 26727]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) | software | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - There is no specific mention in the provided articles about the software failure incident occurring due to contributing factors originating in hardware. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - The software failure incidents reported in the articles are primarily due to contributing factors originating in software. - For example, in the incident involving Facebook, hackers exploited software bugs in Facebook's systems to gain access to user accounts and potentially take control of them [Article 75370]. - Similarly, in the incident involving eBay, hackers compromised the log-in credentials of employees, allowing them access to eBay's corporate network, leading to the theft of user data [Article 26727]. - These incidents highlight vulnerabilities in software systems that were exploited by attackers to carry out the breaches. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) | malicious, non-malicious | (a) In the case of the Facebook data breach incident reported in Article 75370, it was a malicious software failure incident. The attackers exploited vulnerabilities in Facebook's code to gain access to user accounts and potentially take control of them. The attackers were able to access apps like Spotify, Instagram, and others that users log into through Facebook. The breach was the result of attackers exploiting three software flaws in Facebook's systems, allowing them to forge access tokens and gain entry to user accounts [75370]. (b) In the case of the eBay data breach incident reported in Article 26819, it was a non-malicious software failure incident. The breach was due to hackers stealing email addresses, encrypted passwords, and other identity information from eBay's corporate network. The attackers compromised the log-in credentials of a small number of eBay employees, allowing them access to the company's network. eBay emphasized that there was no evidence of unauthorized access to financial or credit card information [26819]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) | poor_decisions | (a) The intent of the software failure incident was due to poor_decisions: - The breach at Facebook was due to attackers exploiting three software flaws in Facebook's systems, allowing them to break into user accounts, including those of top executives like Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg [#, #]. - Facebook's code weakness was exploited by attackers to gain access to user accounts and potentially take control of them, impacting nearly 50 million users [#, #]. - Facebook's vulnerability was introduced by an online tool meant to improve user privacy and a software feature for uploading birthday videos, showing poor decisions in the platform's code changes [#, #]. (b) The intent of the software failure incident was not due to accidental_decisions based on the information provided in the articles. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) | development_incompetence, accidental | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to development incompetence: - The breach at eBay was due to hackers compromising the log-in credentials of a small number of employees, allowing them access to eBay's corporate network [Article 26727]. - Facebook's breach was caused by three software flaws in its systems that allowed hackers to break into user accounts, including those of top executives, due to vulnerabilities introduced by tools meant to improve privacy and upload birthday videos [Article 75370]. (b) The software failure incident occurring accidentally: - Facebook's breach was due to attackers exploiting three software bugs in Facebook's systems, allowing them to forge access tokens and gain entry to user accounts [Article 75370]. - The breach at Facebook was a result of attackers exploiting two bugs in the site's "View As" feature and a bug in the video-uploading program for birthday celebrations, which allowed them to steal access tokens and private information [Article 75689]. |
| Duration | temporary | (a) The software failure incident in the articles was temporary. The breach or hack occurred over a specific period, with Facebook discovering the attack and taking action to address it. For example, in the incident reported in Article 75689, Facebook discovered the breach and fixed the issue after identifying affected accounts. The breach was not a permanent failure but rather a specific incident that required immediate attention and response. Citations: - Article 75689: Facebook has now fixed the issue. People potentially affected were logged out of their accounts on Friday and those definitely affected were notified. Facebook says it has identified 50 million accounts which were certainly involved in the breach, with an extra 40 million also warned as a precautionary measure. The Irish Data Protection Commission says less than 10% of the 50 million are believed to be European accounts. It is also unknown whether networks of friends were also affected, as their data would have been visible to anyone with access to an individual's account. |
| Behaviour | omission, value, other | (a) crash: The articles do not mention any instances of a crash related to the software failure incident. (b) omission: The software failure incident involved a breach where hackers stole email addresses, birthdays, and other identity information from Facebook accounts due to a weakness in the platform's code, potentially gaining control of user accounts [Article 75689]. (c) timing: The software failure incident did not involve any timing-related failures. (d) value: The software failure incident resulted in the exposure of personal information of nearly 50 million Facebook users, potentially allowing attackers to take control of their accounts [Article 75370]. (e) byzantine: The software failure incident did not exhibit any byzantine behavior. (f) other: The software failure incident involved attackers exploiting software bugs in Facebook's systems to break into user accounts, potentially gaining access to third-party apps like Spotify and Instagram that users log into through Facebook [Article 75370]. |
| Layer | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Perception | None | None |
| Communication | None | None |
| Application | None | None |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Consequence | property, theoretical_consequence | (a) death: People lost their lives due to the software failure - No information in the provided articles about people losing their lives due to the software failure. (b) harm: People were physically harmed due to the software failure - No information in the provided articles about people being physically harmed due to the software failure. (c) basic: People's access to food or shelter was impacted because of the software failure - No information in the provided articles about people's access to food or shelter being impacted due to the software failure. (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure - The articles mention data breaches where personal information like email addresses, passwords, birthdates, and other identity information were compromised in the eBay and Facebook incidents [Article 26807, Article 113141, Article 26832, Article 78993, Article 26819, Article 26727, Article 75370, Article 75689]. (e) delay: People had to postpone an activity due to the software failure - No information in the provided articles about people having to postpone activities due to the software failure. (f) non-human: Non-human entities were impacted due to the software failure - No information in the provided articles about non-human entities being impacted due to the software failure. (g) no_consequence: There were no real observed consequences of the software failure - The articles clearly describe consequences such as data breaches, unauthorized access to personal information, and potential risks to users' accounts and privacy due to the software failures [Article 26807, Article 113141, Article 26832, Article 78993, Article 26819, Article 26727, Article 75370, Article 75689]. (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed of the software failure that did not occur - The articles discuss potential risks and consequences such as identity theft, phishing attacks, and unauthorized access to accounts, which were not confirmed to have occurred in all cases [Article 26807, Article 113141, Article 26832, Article 78993, Article 26819, Article 26727, Article 75370, Article 75689]. (i) other: Was there consequence(s) of the software failure not described in the (a to h) options? What is the other consequence(s)? - No other consequences of the software failure were mentioned in the articles. |
| Domain | information, sales, finance | (a) The failed system in the article was related to the industry of information. The breach on eBay's network exposed personal information of users, including names, encrypted passwords, email addresses, physical addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth [Article 26727]. (b) The transportation industry was not specifically mentioned in the articles. (c) The natural resources industry was not specifically mentioned in the articles. (d) The failed system was related to the sales industry as eBay is an e-commerce site where users buy and sell products. The breach on eBay's network exposed personal information of users [Article 26727]. (e) The construction industry was not specifically mentioned in the articles. (f) The manufacturing industry was not specifically mentioned in the articles. (g) The utilities industry was not specifically mentioned in the articles. (h) The failed system in the article was related to the finance industry. The breach on eBay's network exposed personal information of users, but there was no evidence of unauthorized access to financial or credit card information [Article 26727]. (i) The knowledge industry was not specifically mentioned in the articles. (j) The health industry was not specifically mentioned in the articles. (k) The entertainment industry was not specifically mentioned in the articles. (l) The government industry was not specifically mentioned in the articles. (m) The failed system was not related to an industry outside of the options provided. |
Article ID: 26807
Article ID: 113141
Article ID: 26832
Article ID: 78993
Article ID: 26830
Article ID: 76370
Article ID: 135995
Article ID: 26819
Article ID: 26727
Article ID: 76413
Article ID: 75370
Article ID: 75689