Incident: Critical Data Leak in Hospital Networks Exposing Vulnerabilities to Hacking

Published Date: 2014-06-25

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident mentioned in the article happened around June 2014. 2. The article was published on 2014-06-25. 3. Therefore, the incident occurred in June 2014. Therefore, the software failure incident occurred in June 2014.
System 1. Server Message Block (SMB) protocol [27620]
Responsible Organization 1. Hospital network administrators who misconfigured the Server Message Block (SMB) service, allowing data to be leaked externally, leading to the vulnerability exploited by hackers [27620].
Impacted Organization 1. Hospitals and health care organizations [27620]
Software Causes 1. Misconfigured internet-connected computers using unpatched versions of Windows XP vulnerable to the Conficker worm exploit [27620] 2. Misconfigured Server Message Block (SMB) protocol allowing data to broadcast externally, exposing sensitive information to hackers [27620]
Non-software Causes 1. Lack of proper configuration and security measures on internet-connected computers within hospital networks, allowing for data leaks and exposure of critical systems to hacking [27620].
Impacts 1. Vulnerable medical devices, such as drug infusion pumps and defibrillators, could be remotely manipulated to change dosages or deliver random shocks to patients, posing serious risks to patient safety [27620]. 2. Temperature settings on refrigerators storing blood and drugs could be reset, potentially causing spoilage of critical medical supplies [27620]. 3. The leak of information on hospital networks exposed sensitive data about medical devices, including pacemakers, anesthesiology systems, cardiology systems, radiology systems, telemetry systems, and high-risk systems used for patient monitoring [27620]. 4. The vulnerability allowed attackers to easily locate and target specific systems within hospitals, increasing the risk of targeted attacks on critical medical equipment and systems [27620]. 5. The incident highlighted the global issue of healthcare organizations being sloppy in configuring their external edge networks, indicating a widespread security concern in the healthcare industry [27620].
Preventions 1. Properly configuring internet-connected computers to ensure they are secure and not leaking valuable information to the internet could have prevented the software failure incident [27620]. 2. Keeping software systems up to date with the latest patches and security updates, especially in this case where unpatched versions of Windows XP were still in use, could have prevented vulnerabilities exploited by attackers [27620]. 3. Disabling the Server Message Block (SMB) service on external-facing systems or reconfiguring it to only broadcast data internally on the hospital's local network instead of broadcasting it out to the internet could have prevented hackers from easily locating vulnerable systems [27620].
Fixes 1. Disabling the SMB service on external-facing systems or reconfiguring it to only broadcast data internally on the hospital's local network instead of broadcasting it out to the internet for hackers to see [27620].
References 1. Scott Erven, one of the researchers [27620] 2. Shawn Merdinger, an independent health care security researcher and consultant [27620]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident related to leaking valuable information to the internet and leaving critical systems vulnerable to hacking has happened again within the same organization. The incident was discovered by researchers examining the security of hospital networks, and they found that a large health care organization was spilling information about 68,000 systems connected to its network [27620]. (b) The software failure incident has also happened at multiple organizations globally. The vulnerability uncovered by the researchers was not limited to just one organization but was identified as a global healthcare organization issue, affecting thousands of organizations across the world [27620].
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article where researchers found that many hospital networks were leaking valuable information to the internet due to misconfigurations in the system design. Specifically, the problem was identified as internet-connected computers not being configured securely, using unpatched versions of Windows XP vulnerable to exploits, and misconfigurations in the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol that allowed data to broadcast externally [27620]. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the same article where it was highlighted that the vulnerability in hospital networks was due to the operation of these systems. The misconfigurations in the SMB service, which allowed outsiders to see sensitive information, were a result of the operation and maintenance practices within the healthcare organizations. The failure to properly configure external edge networks and not taking security seriously in the operation of these systems contributed to the exposure of critical information to potential hackers [27620].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system, outside_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident in the articles is primarily within the system. The vulnerability that allowed hackers to locate vulnerable systems and potentially hack into medical devices was due to misconfigurations within the hospital networks. Specifically, the issue stemmed from network administrators enabling Server Message Block (SMB) on computers facing the internet and misconfiguring it, allowing data to broadcast externally [27620]. (b) outside_system: The software failure incident also involves factors originating from outside the system. Hackers were able to exploit the vulnerability in the hospital networks to locate and potentially hack into medical devices. This external threat posed by hackers targeting the exposed systems from the internet contributed to the software failure incident [27620].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The vulnerability in hospital networks that leaked valuable information to the internet, making critical systems and equipment vulnerable to hacking, was primarily due to misconfigured internet-connected computers that were not securely configured, as well as the misconfiguration of the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol on external-facing systems [27620]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - The article highlights that the vulnerability in hospital networks was a result of health care organizations being sloppy in configuring their external edge networks and not taking security seriously. It mentions that security teams at these organizations often focus solely on HIPAA compliance rather than conducting penetration testing and vulnerability maintenance to secure their systems effectively [27620].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware, software (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - The vulnerability in hospital networks that leaked valuable information to the internet was due to an internet-connected computer that was not configured securely, allowing data to broadcast externally [27620]. - The vulnerability was related to the misconfiguration of the Server Message Block (SMB) service on computers facing the internet, enabling outsiders to see sensitive information that should only be available to network staff [27620]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - The vulnerability in hospital networks was exacerbated by systems using unpatched versions of Windows XP, making them vulnerable to an exploit used by the Conficker worm [27620]. - The failure to properly configure the SMB service on external-facing systems or reconfigure it to only broadcast data internally contributed to the software failure incident [27620].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The software failure incident described in the articles is malicious in nature. The incident involves vulnerabilities in hospital networks that leak valuable information to the internet, leaving critical systems and equipment vulnerable to hacking. The data leak allows hackers to easily locate and map systems to conduct targeted attacks, potentially compromising medical devices like pacemakers and defibrillators. The vulnerability was uncovered by researchers who found that health care organizations were sloppy in configuring their external edge networks, making them susceptible to exploitation by attackers. The incident highlights the serious security risks posed by misconfigured systems and unpatched software, which could be exploited by malicious actors to harm patients and disrupt medical operations [27620]. (b) The software failure incident is non-malicious in the sense that the vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in hospital networks were not intentionally introduced to harm the system. Rather, they were a result of negligence and lack of proper security measures in configuring external-facing systems. The incident underscores the importance of proper cybersecurity practices and the need for health care organizations to prioritize security beyond just regulatory compliance. The vulnerability could have been easily fixed by disabling the SMB service on external-facing systems or reconfiguring it to only broadcast data internally, thus preventing the leakage of sensitive information to the internet [27620].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions, accidental_decisions (a) The software failure incident described in the article is primarily due to poor decisions made by network administrators in configuring the hospital networks. The vulnerability that allowed hackers to locate and exploit vulnerable systems was a result of misconfiguring the Server Message Block (SMB) service on computers facing the internet, enabling data to be broadcast externally [27620]. Additionally, the article highlights that health care organizations were sloppy in configuring their external edge networks and not taking security seriously, leading to the exposure of critical systems and equipment to potential hacking attacks [27620]. (b) The software failure incident can also be attributed to accidental decisions or unintended mistakes made by network administrators. For example, the use of unpatched versions of Windows XP on systems connected to the internet made them vulnerable to exploits like the Conficker worm, indicating a lack of proper maintenance and updates [27620]. Furthermore, the exposure of sensitive information about hospital networks and devices to the internet was likely unintentional, resulting from misconfigurations rather than deliberate actions [27620].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence, accidental (a) The software failure incident in the articles can be attributed to development incompetence. The incident involved a vulnerability in hospital networks where valuable information was leaked to the internet, leaving critical systems and equipment vulnerable to hacking. This vulnerability was due to misconfigurations in the Server Message Block (SMB) service on internet-connected computers, which allowed data to be broadcast externally, making it possible for hackers to locate and target vulnerable systems [27620]. The lack of proper configuration and security measures on these systems, including the use of unpatched versions of Windows XP, demonstrated a lack of professional competence in securing the hospital networks. (b) Additionally, the incident can also be considered accidental as the exposure of sensitive information and vulnerabilities in the hospital networks was not intentional but rather a result of misconfigurations and oversight by network administrators. The leak of data that enabled hackers to locate vulnerable systems was not a deliberate act but a consequence of the misconfigured SMB service on external-facing systems, which inadvertently broadcasted data externally, exposing critical systems to potential attacks [27620].
Duration permanent (a) The software failure incident described in the articles seems to be more of a permanent failure. The vulnerability in the hospital networks that leaked valuable information to the internet, allowing hackers to easily locate and map systems for targeted attacks, was a result of misconfigurations and lack of proper security measures in the systems [27620]. This type of failure, caused by systemic issues and poor practices, can be considered permanent until the underlying vulnerabilities are addressed and fixed.
Behaviour omission, other (a) crash: The software failure incident described in the articles does not specifically mention a crash where the system loses state and stops performing its intended functions. (b) omission: The incident involves a failure related to omission, where the system omits to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). The vulnerability discovered by the researchers allowed for the leakage of valuable information to the internet, leaving critical systems and equipment vulnerable to hacking. This omission of proper security configurations led to the exposure of sensitive data [27620]. (c) timing: The incident does not involve a failure related to timing, where the system performs its intended functions but at the wrong time. (d) value: The software failure incident does not involve a failure related to value, where the system performs its intended functions incorrectly. (e) byzantine: The incident does not involve a failure related to byzantine behavior, where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. (f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be categorized as a failure due to a security vulnerability that allowed for the leakage of sensitive information, making critical systems and equipment vulnerable to hacking. This behavior falls under the category of a security flaw that exposes the system to potential attacks and unauthorized access [27620].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception network_communication The software failure incident described in the article is related to the network communication layer of the cyber-physical system that failed. The failure was due to contributing factors introduced by network communication errors. The incident involved the leaking of valuable information from hospital networks to the internet, leaving critical systems and equipment vulnerable to hacking [27620]. The vulnerability was specifically related to the misconfiguration of the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol on computers facing the internet, allowing data to broadcast externally and be accessed by unauthorized parties. This misconfiguration of network communication protocols exposed sensitive information and made the systems susceptible to targeted attacks by hackers.
Communication connectivity_level The software failure incident described in the articles is related to the connectivity level of the cyber-physical system that failed. The failure was due to contributing factors introduced by the network layer, specifically the misconfiguration of the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol on external-facing systems, which allowed data to be broadcast externally on the internet, making critical systems vulnerable to hacking [27620].
Application FALSE The software failure incident described in the articles is not related to the application layer of the cyber physical system. The incident primarily involves vulnerabilities in network configurations, specifically related to the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol, which allowed sensitive information to leak and exposed critical systems to potential hacking attacks. Therefore, the failure is not directly attributed to bugs, operating system errors, unhandled exceptions, or incorrect usage at the application layer [27620].

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence harm, property, non-human, theoretical_consequence, other (a) death: The software failure incident described in the articles did not directly result in any reported deaths. (b) harm: The software failure incident had the potential to cause physical harm to individuals. For example, attackers could manipulate medical devices like drug infusion pumps, defibrillators, and temperature settings on refrigerators storing blood and drugs, which could lead to patients receiving incorrect dosages, random shocks to the heart, or spoilage of medical supplies [27620]. (c) basic: The software failure incident did not directly impact people's access to food or shelter. (d) property: The software failure incident had the potential to impact people's material goods, money, or data. For instance, the vulnerability exposed by the incident could allow attackers to access and manipulate critical medical equipment, potentially leading to financial losses or data breaches [27620]. (e) delay: The software failure incident did not result in any reported delays in activities. (f) non-human: Non-human entities, such as medical devices and hospital equipment, were directly impacted by the software failure incident. Vulnerabilities in these systems could be exploited by attackers to manipulate their functions [27620]. (g) no_consequence: The software failure incident had real observed consequences, particularly in terms of exposing vulnerabilities in hospital networks and medical devices. (h) theoretical_consequence: The articles discussed potential consequences of the software failure incident that did not occur, such as attackers being able to exploit the vulnerabilities to cause harm to patients by administering incorrect shocks or preventing life-saving interventions [27620]. (i) other: The software failure incident also highlighted the lack of proper security measures in health care organizations, indicating a broader consequence of potential security breaches and data leaks in the healthcare industry [27620].
Domain health (a) The software failure incident discussed in the articles is related to the healthcare industry [27620]. The incident involved vulnerabilities in hospital networks that leaked valuable information to the internet, making critical systems and equipment vulnerable to hacking. The data leak exposed information about medical devices, such as drug infusion pumps, defibrillators, and refrigerators storing blood and drugs, which could be remotely manipulated to cause harm to patients or spoilage of medical supplies. (j) The failed system was intended to support the health industry, specifically healthcare organizations and medical facilities [27620]. The vulnerabilities in the hospital networks and medical devices highlighted in the incident pose significant risks to patient safety and the integrity of healthcare services. The incident underscores the importance of cybersecurity in the healthcare sector to protect sensitive patient data and ensure the proper functioning of medical equipment.

Sources

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