| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to VPN bypass vulnerability on iOS devices has happened again with Apple's products. Proton previously reported an iOS VPN bypass vulnerability that started at least in iOS 13.3.1, and Horowitz's recent testing in mid-2022 on an iPad with iOS 15.4.1 still found persistent, non-tunneled connections to Apple's push service [131224].
(b) The software failure incident related to VPN bypass vulnerability on iOS devices has also been reported by ProtonVPN, indicating that the issue persisted in three subsequent updates to iOS 13. ProtonVPN's blog noted that a VPN typically closes all existing connections and reopens them inside a VPN tunnel, but that didn't happen on iOS, indicating a broader issue with iOS VPN functionality [131224]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the article. The issue with iOS VPNs not fully routing all network traffic through VPNs is a failure due to contributing factors introduced by system development. The article highlights that iOS VPNs have a vulnerability that allows non-tunneled connections to persist, leading to data leaks outside the VPN tunnel. This flaw has been known for years, indicating a design issue in the system development [131224].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is also present in the article. The failure is due to contributing factors introduced by the operation or misuse of the system. Users operating iOS devices with VPNs may not be aware that existing connections established before activating the VPN do not terminate and can still send data outside the VPN tunnel. This operational issue can lead to unencrypted connections and expose user IP addresses and activities to ISPs and other parties [131224]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
The software failure incident discussed in the articles can be categorized as both within_system and outside_system:
(a) within_system: The failure within the system is related to the iOS VPN functionality not properly terminating existing connections and allowing data to be sent outside the VPN tunnel while it's active [131224].
(b) outside_system: The failure originating from outside the system is due to the potential security issue in Apple's iOS devices where all network traffic is not fully routed through VPNs as expected, leading to data leaks and unencrypted connections [131224]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident related to non-human actions in this case is the iOS VPN bypass vulnerability that allows non-tunneled connections to persist outside the VPN tunnel, potentially leaking data. This issue has been identified by security researchers like Michael Horowitz and privacy company ProtonVPN [131224]. The vulnerability allows existing connections, such as Apple's push notification service, to continue outside the VPN tunnel, exposing potentially sensitive information to ISPs and other parties. Despite efforts to address the issue, such as adding functionality to block existing connections, the problem persists in iOS versions like 15.6 [131224].
(b) The software failure incident related to human actions in this case involves the design and implementation of iOS VPNs by Apple. The issue of non-tunneled connections persisting outside the VPN tunnel is a result of how iOS VPNs handle existing connections when a VPN is activated. Despite efforts to address the issue, such as adding functionality to block existing connections, the problem persists in iOS versions like 15.6 [131224]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The article does not mention any specific hardware-related issues contributing to the software failure incident. It primarily focuses on the VPN bypass vulnerability in iOS devices and the inability of VPNs to fully route all network traffic through the VPN tunnel, leading to data leaks [131224].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The software failure incident is primarily attributed to software issues within iOS devices. The article discusses how iOS VPNs are broken, allowing existing connections to persist outside the VPN tunnel, leading to data leaks. Despite attempts to address the issue through updates and the addition of functionality to block existing connections, the problem persists [131224]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is non-malicious. The failure is related to a security vulnerability in Apple's iOS devices that don't fully route all network traffic through VPNs as expected, leading to a potential data leak issue [131224]. The issue is not caused by malicious intent but rather by a flaw in the design or implementation of the VPN functionality on iOS devices. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the iOS VPN bypass vulnerability on Apple's iOS devices can be attributed to poor decisions. The incident was a result of the VPNs on iOS not fully routing all network traffic through the VPN tunnel as expected, leading to a data leak outside the tunnel. This issue was known to Apple for years, and despite attempts to address it, the problem persisted through multiple iOS updates [131224]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as it discusses a security vulnerability in Apple's iOS devices regarding VPN functionality. The security researcher, Michael Horowitz, highlighted that iOS VPNs do not fully route all network traffic through the VPN tunnel as expected, leading to a potential security issue that Apple has known about for years [131224]. This failure can be attributed to a lack of professional competence in developing the VPN functionality to ensure all network traffic is properly routed through the VPN tunnel.
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is also present in the article. The article mentions that the VPN bypass vulnerability in iOS devices, which allows non-tunneled connections to persist outside the VPN tunnel, was initially reported by the privacy company Proton and later confirmed by Horowitz's findings [131224]. This accidental flaw in the VPN functionality, where existing connections are not closed and reopened inside the VPN tunnel as expected, can be considered a failure introduced accidentally during the development or implementation of the VPN feature on iOS devices. |
| Duration |
permanent |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles seems to be more of a permanent nature. The issue with iOS VPNs not fully routing all network traffic through the VPN tunnel has been known for years and persists even in the latest versions of iOS, such as iOS 15.6 [131224]. Despite attempts to address the issue, such as adding functionality to block existing connections, the problem still exists, indicating a more permanent failure in the software system. Additionally, the workaround suggested by ProtonVPN, involving using Airplane Mode, is not considered a definitive solution, further highlighting the ongoing nature of the issue [131224]. |
| Behaviour |
value, other |
(a) crash: The articles do not mention any instances of a system crash where the system loses state and fails to perform any of its intended functions.
(b) omission: The software failure incident described in the articles does not involve the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s).
(c) timing: The incident does not relate to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early.
(d) value: The software failure incident is related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. Specifically, the issue involves VPN connections on iOS devices not terminating existing connections before establishing a secure connection, leading to data leaks outside the VPN tunnel [131224].
(e) byzantine: The incident does not involve the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident is related to a specific flaw in the way iOS VPNs handle network traffic, allowing data to leak outside the VPN tunnel due to existing connections not being terminated properly. This behavior is not a classic DNS leak but a data leak, impacting the security and privacy of users, especially in regions where surveillance and civil rights abuses are common [131224]. |