Published Date: 2015-06-17
| Postmortem Analysis | |
|---|---|
| Timeline | 1. The software failure incident involving a vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard affecting over 600 million devices worldwide happened in December 2014 [Article 36898]. 2. The vulnerability that allowed hackers to spy on Samsung Galaxy users due to a software flaw was discovered in November 2014 [Article 37129]. |
| System | 1. Samsung Galaxy devices (S3 to S6) - software vulnerability in the keyboard software [37133, 37129, 36898] 2. Samsung's Android keyboard installed on over 600 million devices worldwide [36898] |
| Responsible Organization | 1. Samsung - The software failure incident was caused by a vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard software installed on over 600 million devices worldwide [Article 36898]. 2. SwiftKey - The flaw in the Samsung devices was related to the integration of SwiftKey's underlying keyboard engine into Samsung's keyboard software [Article 36898]. |
| Impacted Organization | 1. Samsung Galaxy users were impacted by the software failure incident as hackers were able to exploit a vulnerability in the Samsung Galaxy devices' keyboard software to spy on users [37133, 37129, 36898]. 2. Government officials, including high-level U.S. government officials, were also potentially impacted by the vulnerability as Samsung Galaxy devices were approved for use by government employees [37129]. |
| Software Causes | 1. A vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard software installed on over 600 million devices worldwide allowed hackers to take full control of smartphones or tablets [Article 36898]. 2. The flaw was related to the update mechanism of the built-in keyboard, which looked for language updates for trending phrases daily or weekly [Article 36898]. 3. The problem was due to the integration of SwiftKey's underlying keyboard engine into Samsung's keyboard software, which provided the opportunity for hackers to exploit the update process [Article 36898]. 4. The flaw allowed hackers to remotely access a smartphone's sensors, such as GPS, camera, or microphone, eavesdrop on calls, and attack sensitive personal data [Article 36898]. 5. The vulnerability was triggered automatically upon reboot or when the keyboard app decided to update, allowing hackers to exploit the flaw [Article 37133]. |
| Non-software Causes | 1. Lack of timely response and patching by Samsung despite being notified about the vulnerability in December [37133, 37129, 36898]. 2. Dependency on mobile network operators to distribute software updates, causing delays in fixing the issue [37129]. 3. Inability to uninstall or disable the flawed keyboard app on Samsung devices [36898]. 4. Vulnerability introduced due to Samsung's integration of SwiftKey's underlying keyboard engine into its own software [36898]. |
| Impacts | 1. The software vulnerability in Samsung Galaxy devices allowed hackers to remotely access a phone's camera, microphone, GPS, and sensors, install malicious apps without the owner's knowledge, tamper with phone or app functionality, spy on text messages and calls, and attempt to steal personal data [37133, 37129, 36898]. 2. The flaw affected up to 600 million Samsung Galaxy handsets, including the newly released Samsung Galaxy S6 [37133, 37129, 36898]. 3. Users were advised to stay away from unsecured Wi-Fi networks to reduce the risk of being hacked, but even this precaution did not guarantee complete safety [37133, 37129, 36898]. 4. The flaw was rated as a serious cybersecurity problem, with a severity level of 8.3 on a scale of 1 to 10 [37129]. 5. The vulnerability allowed hackers to gain almost complete access to the phone, including eavesdropping on calls, accessing personal data, and remotely controlling various phone functions [36898]. 6. The flaw was related to the update mechanism of the built-in keyboard software, which was signed with Samsung's private key and ran in a highly privileged context on the device [36898]. 7. Samsung Galaxy users were unable to uninstall or disable the flawed keyboard app, making it challenging for them to determine if the carrier had patched the issue with a software update [36898]. |
| Preventions | 1. Regular security audits and testing of the software to identify vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by hackers [Article 37133]. 2. Implementing a secure update mechanism for the keyboard software to prevent malicious code from being sent to the phone [Article 36898]. 3. SwiftKey and Samsung collaborating closely to ensure the integration of the keyboard technology does not introduce security vulnerabilities [Article 37129]. |
| Fixes | 1. Samsung provided a patch to mobile network operators to pass onto consumers in the form of an Android update to fix the software vulnerability [37133]. 2. Samsung KNOX service was about to patch the issue, and updates were set to begin rolling out in a few days [37129]. 3. Samsung Knox has the capability to update the security policy of the phones over-the-air to invalidate any remaining potential vulnerabilities caused by the issue [36898]. | References | 1. NowSecure mobile security researcher Ryan Welton [Article 37133, Article 37129, Article 36898] 2. Samsung [Article 37133, Article 37129, Article 36898] 3. SwiftKey [Article 37133, Article 37129, Article 36898] 4. NowSecure CEO Andrew Hoog [Article 37129] 5. CNNMoney [Article 37129] 6. The Guardian [Article 36898] 7. Joe Braid, Chief Marketing Officer of SwiftKey [Article 36898] 8. Paul Ducklin from security company Sophos [Article 36898] |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring | one_organization, multiple_organization | (a) The software failure incident related to a vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard has happened again within the same organization. The vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard, affecting over 600 million devices, was discovered by security researchers from NowSecure. The flaw revolves around the update mechanism of the built-in keyboard, which looks for language updates for trending phrases either daily or weekly. The problem was discovered last year, and Samsung was notified about the bug in December. Samsung asked NowSecure to keep the discovery under wraps until a patch could be developed, but as of the articles' publication, it was unclear whether the patch had been rolled out [Article 36898]. (b) The software failure incident related to a vulnerability in the Samsung Galaxy devices' keyboard software has also affected multiple organizations. The vulnerability in the phones' keyboard software, which is made by British tech firm SwiftKey and installed in Samsung devices at the factory, potentially allows hackers to spy on anyone using a Samsung Galaxy phone. The flaw involves the word prediction software used by Samsung devices, and researchers at NowSecure estimated that assuming every Galaxy device is the same, approximately 600 million devices are affected. This incident highlights a broader issue with the integration of third-party software into devices across different manufacturers, as the fault lies within Samsung's code, while SwiftKey-based keyboards on other Android devices or from the Google Play Store are unaffected [Article 37129]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) | design, operation | (a) The software failure incident in the articles can be attributed to the design phase. The vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard, which affected over 600 million devices, was due to a flaw in the update mechanism of the built-in keyboard [Article 36898]. The flaw was discovered by security researchers and reported to Samsung, indicating a design flaw in the system development process that allowed hackers to take full control of the smartphone or tablet. The issue was related to how the keyboard software was signed with Samsung's private key and ran in a highly privileged context on the device, making it susceptible to exploitation [Article 36898]. (b) The software failure incident can also be linked to the operation phase. Users were advised to avoid insecure Wi-Fi networks to reduce the risk of being targeted by hackers exploiting the vulnerability [Article 37133]. Additionally, the flaw allowed hackers to remotely access a smartphone's sensors, eavesdrop on calls, and attack sensitive personal data, indicating operational risks associated with using compromised networks [Article 36898]. The operation of the devices on insecure networks or during software updates created opportunities for hackers to exploit the system, highlighting the importance of secure operational practices to mitigate such risks. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) | within_system, outside_system | (a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the Samsung Galaxy devices being vulnerable to hackers due to a flaw in the keyboard software is primarily within the system. The vulnerability stemmed from a security bug in the update mechanism of the built-in keyboard, which was signed with Samsung's private signing key and ran in a privileged context on the device [Article 36898]. The flaw allowed hackers to take full control of the smartphone or tablet by exploiting the keyboard software, which was integrated with SwiftKey's underlying keyboard engine [Article 36898]. The flaw was discovered by security researchers at NowSecure, who notified Samsung about the bug in December [Article 36898]. (b) outside_system: The software failure incident also involved contributing factors that originated from outside the system. Hackers were able to exploit the vulnerability in the Samsung Galaxy devices by using malicious Wi-Fi networks to substitute the keyboard update with a backdoor into the phone, giving them almost complete access to the device [Article 36898]. This external factor of connecting to a compromised Wi-Fi network allowed hackers to remotely access the smartphone's sensors, eavesdrop on calls, and attack sensitive personal data [Article 36898]. Additionally, the flaw was not limited to a specific model but affected a wide range of Samsung Galaxy devices, potentially exposing millions of users to the risk of being spied on by hackers [Article 37129]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) | non-human_actions, human_actions | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The software vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard was discovered, allowing hackers to take full control of smartphones or tablets [Article 36898]. - The vulnerability in the keyboard software was exploited by hackers to remotely access a phone's camera, microphone, GPS, sensors, install malicious apps, tamper with phone or app functionality, spy on text messages, calls, and attempt to steal personal data [Article 37133]. - The flaw in the keyboard software allowed hackers to exploit a glitch with Samsung's pre-installed 'IME' keyboard, enabling them to send malicious code to gain control of the phone [Article 37133]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - Researchers at NowSecure discovered the vulnerability in Samsung Galaxy devices' keyboard software, which was made by British tech firm SwiftKey and installed by Samsung at the factory [Article 37129]. - Samsung and SwiftKey were responsible for integrating the technology that introduced the security vulnerability in Samsung devices [Article 37129]. - Samsung was aware of the vulnerability reported by several media outlets and was working to provide the latest in mobile security, including rolling out security policy updates to address potential risks [Article 37133]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) | software | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - The software vulnerability that allowed hackers to spy on Samsung Galaxy users was due to a vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard installed on over 600 million devices worldwide [Article 36898]. - The problem was related to the update mechanism of the built-in keyboard, which looks for language updates for trending phrases daily or weekly [Article 36898]. - The vulnerability was discovered by security company NowSecure, and it was found that the keyboard was signed with Samsung's private signing key and ran in one of the most privileged contexts on the device, system user [Article 36898]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - The software vulnerability that allowed hackers to spy on Samsung Galaxy users was primarily due to a flaw in the software, specifically in the Samsung Galaxy's keyboard software [Article 37133]. - The flaw was related to the pre-installed 'IME' keyboard, a version of SwiftKey, which came with Galaxy handsets [Article 37133]. - The flaw allowed hackers to remotely access a phone's camera, microphone, GPS, sensors, install malicious apps, tamper with phone or app functionality, spy on text messages, and attempt to steal personal data [Article 37133]. - The vulnerability was triggered automatically upon reboot or when the keyboard app decided to update, allowing hackers to exploit it [Article 37133]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) | malicious | (a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is malicious in nature. Hackers exploited a vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard software to gain control of smartphones and tablets, allowing them to remotely access cameras, microphones, GPS, sensors, install malicious apps, spy on text messages and calls, and attempt to steal personal data [37133, 37129, 36898]. (b) The software failure incident was not non-malicious as it was caused by hackers exploiting a flaw in the software to carry out malicious activities, rather than being a result of unintentional errors or faults [37133, 37129, 36898]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) | poor_decisions | (a) The intent of the software failure incident: - The software failure incident related to the Samsung Galaxy devices being vulnerable to hackers due to a flaw in the keyboard software was not intentional but rather a result of poor decisions made during the integration of the SwiftKey technology into Samsung's devices [37133, 37129, 36898]. - The flaw was introduced during the integration process of SwiftKey's technology into Samsung's devices, allowing hackers to exploit the update mechanism of the built-in keyboard and gain control of the smartphones or tablets [36898]. - Samsung's decision to pre-install the flawed keyboard software with special permissions made it easier for hackers to bypass protection measures in Android, leading to the vulnerability affecting millions of Samsung Galaxy devices [37133]. - The delay in fixing the vulnerability was partly due to the complex system of collaboration between phone manufacturers and mobile carriers, which caused delays in distributing necessary patches to users [37129]. (b) accidental_decisions: - The software failure incident was not caused by accidental decisions but rather by a series of mistakes and oversights during the integration of the SwiftKey technology into Samsung's devices, which ultimately led to the security vulnerability [37133, 37129, 36898]. - Researchers at NowSecure discovered the flaw in the keyboard software and notified Samsung about it, but the delay in fixing the issue was due to the slow process of coordinating with mobile carriers to distribute the necessary updates to users [37129]. - SwiftKey, the company providing the word prediction technology, stated that the security vulnerability was not intentional and that they were working to support Samsung in resolving the issue [37129]. - The vulnerability in the Samsung keyboard software was not an accidental decision but rather a result of the flawed integration of SwiftKey's technology, which allowed hackers to exploit the update mechanism and gain control of the devices [36898]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) | development_incompetence | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to development incompetence: - The software vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard, affecting over 600 million devices, was due to a flaw in the update mechanism of the built-in keyboard [Article 36898]. - Researchers at NowSecure discovered the vulnerability in Samsung Galaxy devices and informed Samsung about it in November, but even after seven months, the issue remained unfixed [Article 37129]. (b) The software failure incident occurring accidentally: - The vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard, allowing hackers to take full control of smartphones or tablets, was discovered by security company NowSecure researcher Ryan Welton, who found that the keyboard was signed with Samsung's private signing key and ran in a highly privileged context on the device [Article 36898]. - SwiftKey, the company providing the word prediction technology for Samsung's keyboard, mentioned that the security vulnerability was introduced due to the way the technology was integrated into Samsung devices, indicating an accidental introduction of the flaw [Article 37129]. |
| Duration | temporary | (a) The software failure incident in the articles is temporary. The vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard software allowed hackers to take control of smartphones or tablets by exploiting the update mechanism of the built-in keyboard [Article 36898]. Researchers discovered the flaw and notified Samsung in December, and Samsung started the patching process in early 2015 [Article 36898]. The vulnerability was considered serious, with a cybersecurity ranking of 8.3 out of 10 [Article 37129]. Samsung and SwiftKey were working on addressing the issue, and security policy updates were set to begin rolling out in a few days [Article 37133]. (b) The software failure incident in the articles is not permanent. The vulnerability was identified, and efforts were being made to patch the issue. Samsung was working on providing security updates to invalidate any remaining potential vulnerabilities caused by the issue [Article 36898]. The delay in fixing the problem was attributed to the process of working with mobile phone providers to distribute updates to users [Article 37129]. The security policy updates were set to begin rolling out in a few days, indicating ongoing efforts to address the vulnerability [Article 37133]. |
| Behaviour | omission, value, other | (a) crash: - The software vulnerability in Samsung Galaxy devices allowed hackers to take control of the handset, access the camera, microphone, GPS, sensors, install malicious apps, tamper with phone or app functionality, spy on text messages, eavesdrop on calls, and attempt to steal personal data [37133]. - The vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard could allow hackers to take full control of the smartphone or tablet [36898]. (b) omission: - The flaw in Samsung Galaxy devices potentially allowed hackers to spy on users by exploiting the keyboard software, which could not be deleted, and potentially allowed hackers to spy on anyone using a Samsung Galaxy phone [37129]. - The flaw in the Samsung Android keyboard could allow a hacker to substitute the update for a backdoor into the phone, giving almost complete access to the phone [36898]. (c) timing: - The hack exploiting the glitch with Samsung's pre-installed 'IME' keyboard could be triggered automatically upon reboot or when the keyboard app decides to update [37133]. - The vulnerability in the Samsung Android keyboard could allow a hacker to exploit the system when the keyboard attempts to update its trending phrases and language pack [36898]. (d) value: - The software vulnerability in Samsung Galaxy devices allowed hackers to install malicious apps without the owner knowing, spy on text messages, eavesdrop on calls, and attempt to steal personal data [37133]. - The flaw in the Samsung Android keyboard could allow a hacker to remotely access a smartphone's sensors, eavesdrop on calls, or attack sensitive personal data [36898]. (e) byzantine: - The articles do not mention any behavior related to a byzantine failure. (f) other: - The flaw in the Samsung Android keyboard was signed with Samsung's private signing key and ran in one of the most privileged contexts on the device, which is a notch short of being root, allowing for deep access to the phone's computer system [36898]. |
| Layer | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Perception | None | None |
| Communication | None | None |
| Application | None | None |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Consequence | property, non-human, theoretical_consequence | (a) death: People lost their lives due to the software failure - There is no mention of any deaths caused by the software failure incident reported in the articles. (b) harm: People were physically harmed due to the software failure - There is no mention of physical harm to individuals due to the software failure incident reported in the articles. (c) basic: People's access to food or shelter was impacted because of the software failure - There is no mention of people's access to food or shelter being impacted by the software failure incident reported in the articles. (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure - The software failure incident allowed hackers to potentially steal personal data, pictures, and text messages from Samsung Galaxy users [37133]. - The vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard could allow hackers to take full control of smartphones or tablets, potentially accessing sensitive personal data [36898]. (e) delay: People had to postpone an activity due to the software failure - There is no mention of people having to postpone activities due to the software failure incident reported in the articles. (f) non-human: Non-human entities were impacted due to the software failure - The software failure incident affected over 600 million Samsung Galaxy handsets, potentially allowing hackers to access a phone's camera, microphone, GPS, sensors, and more [37133]. - The vulnerability in Samsung's Android keyboard installed on over 600 million devices worldwide could allow hackers to take full control of smartphones or tablets [36898]. (g) no_consequence: There were no real observed consequences of the software failure - The software failure incidents reported in the articles had real observed consequences related to potential data theft and privacy breaches. (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed of the software failure that did not occur - The articles discuss potential consequences such as hackers being able to remotely access a phone's camera, microphone, GPS, sensors, eavesdrop on calls, and steal personal data [37133]. - The vulnerability in the Samsung keyboard could allow hackers to remotely access a smartphone's sensors, eavesdrop on calls, and attack sensitive personal data [36898]. (i) other: Was there consequence(s) of the software failure not described in the (a to h) options? What is the other consequence(s)? - The articles do not mention any other specific consequences of the software failure incident beyond potential data theft, privacy breaches, and unauthorized access to device functions. |
| Domain | information, finance | (a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is related to the information industry, specifically affecting Samsung Galaxy users by allowing hackers to spy on them through a software vulnerability in the keyboard software [37133, 37129, 36898]. (h) The software failure incident also has implications for the finance industry as it involves potential risks of hackers attempting to steal personal data, including financial information, from Samsung Galaxy users [37129, 36898]. (m) The software failure incident is not directly related to any other industry mentioned in the options provided. |
Article ID: 37133
Article ID: 37129
Article ID: 36898