| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to security vulnerabilities in Samsung's SmartThings platform has happened again within the same organization. The incident involved potential attacks by hackers exploiting design flaws in the SmartThings system, such as an authentication vulnerability and overprivileged apps [43759, 44150].
(b) The incident also highlights the broader issue of security vulnerabilities in networked home systems and the Internet of Things, indicating that similar risks exist for other organizations and their smart home platforms [43759]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the SmartThings platform's vulnerabilities discovered by security researchers. The researchers found design flaws in SmartThings that allowed them to develop attacks exploiting limitations of apps' access to connected devices and an authentication system vulnerability [43759]. These design flaws, such as poorly controlled limitations of apps' access and an authentication system flaw, contributed to the potential attacks on the SmartThings system [43759].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is highlighted by the potential impact of malicious SmartApps or the failure of third-party developers to follow security guidelines on the SmartThings platform. The attacks demonstrated by the researchers required convincing victims to download malware disguised as an app from the SmartThings app store, which could then be used to disable security settings, trigger alarms, or steal PIN codes [43759]. These operational failures could occur if users unknowingly download malicious apps or if developers do not adhere to security best practices, leading to unauthorized access and control of smart home devices. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is primarily within the system. The incident involved vulnerabilities within Samsung's SmartThings platform that allowed hackers to exploit design flaws and authentication vulnerabilities to carry out attacks on connected home devices [43759, 44150]. The attacks were demonstrated by researchers from Microsoft and the University of Michigan, highlighting flaws in the SmartThings platform that could be leveraged to compromise the security of users' smart homes.
(b) Additionally, the incident also involved external factors as hackers could exploit these vulnerabilities by tricking users into clicking malicious links or downloading malware disguised as legitimate apps [43759, 44150]. The phishing attack and malware distribution tactics used by hackers to gain access to the SmartThings platform and control connected devices demonstrate how external factors can be manipulated to exploit weaknesses within the system. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
- The software failure incident in the articles was primarily due to design flaws and vulnerabilities in the Samsung SmartThings platform that allowed for potential attacks by hackers without direct human involvement [44150, 43759].
- The attacks demonstrated by the researchers involved exploiting flaws in the SmartThings system, such as poorly controlled limitations of apps' access to connected devices and an authentication system that could be manipulated to impersonate legitimate users [43759].
- One of the attacks involved exploiting a flaw in the SmartThings web server through a redirect bug in a third-party Android app, allowing hackers to inject a new code into a SmartThings-controlled door lock without direct human interaction [44150].
- The researchers also highlighted a design flaw in SmartThings' system of privileges for apps, which could be exploited by malware disguised as an app in the SmartThings app store to gain unauthorized access to devices and perform malicious actions [43759].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
- The incident also involved human actions such as users clicking on malicious links or potentially downloading malware disguised as apps from the SmartThings app store, which could further exacerbate the security vulnerabilities in the system [44150, 43759].
- The researchers demonstrated how attackers could trick users into clicking on malicious links or downloading malware, leading to potential compromise of their SmartThings-connected devices [43759].
- While the attacks themselves did not require direct human actions for exploitation, the initial entry points for these attacks, such as clicking on malicious links or downloading malware, were facilitated by human interactions with the system [44150, 43759]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is primarily related to software issues rather than hardware. The incident involves vulnerabilities and design flaws in the Samsung SmartThings platform, which is a networked home system allowing control of home appliances through smartphones or PCs. The attacks identified by the researchers were based on exploiting flaws in the SmartThings platform's software, such as poorly controlled limitations of apps' access to connected devices, an authentication system vulnerability, and a flawed implementation of the OAuth protocol [43759, 44150].
The attacks demonstrated by the researchers involved manipulating the software to plant backdoor PIN codes in digital locks, triggering smoke detectors remotely, and stealing PIN codes from door locks. These actions were made possible by exploiting software vulnerabilities rather than hardware issues. The incidents highlighted the importance of addressing software vulnerabilities and overprivilege in smart home platforms to enhance security and prevent potential attacks. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles is malicious in nature. Security researchers from Microsoft Research and the University of Michigan discovered four potential attacks that hackers could use against Samsung's SmartThings platform, including phishing attacks and malware downloads aimed at taking over smart home devices [44150, 43759]. The attacks involved exploiting design flaws and authentication vulnerabilities in the SmartThings system to gain unauthorized access and control over connected devices, such as door locks and smoke detectors. The attacks were demonstrated to show how hackers could plant backdoors, steal PIN codes, trigger alarms, and gain silent access to homes, highlighting the malicious intent behind the software failure incident. The researchers also emphasized the potential risks posed by overprivileged apps in the SmartThings platform, further underscoring the intentional harm that could be caused by exploiting these vulnerabilities. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident related to poor_decisions:
- The software failure incident related to poor decisions is evident in the security vulnerabilities discovered in Samsung's SmartThings platform. Researchers found design flaws and authentication vulnerabilities that allowed for potential attacks on the system [43759].
- The incident involved a flaw in the SmartThings web server known as an "open redirect," which was exploited by the researchers to plant a backdoor in the front door lock. This flaw was a result of poor implementation of a common authentication protocol [43759].
- The researchers highlighted a design flaw in SmartThings' system of privileges for apps, which allowed for greater access to devices than intended. This flaw could be exploited by convincing victims to download malware disguised as an app from the SmartThings app store [43759].
(b) The intent of the software failure incident related to accidental_decisions:
- The software failure incident was not primarily due to accidental decisions but rather due to deliberate actions taken by the researchers to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in the SmartThings platform [43759].
- The attacks demonstrated by the researchers required a level of trickery and planning, such as convincing victims to click on malicious links or download disguised malware, indicating a deliberate intent to exploit the system's weaknesses [43759].
- The incident involved intentional actions to reverse engineer an Android app, exploit authentication flaws, and demonstrate potential attacks on SmartThings devices, indicating a calculated approach to uncovering security vulnerabilities [43759]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the articles. The security researchers from Microsoft Research and the University of Michigan identified four potential attacks against Samsung's SmartThings platform due to design flaws and authentication vulnerabilities [44150, 43759]. These vulnerabilities allowed hackers to exploit flaws in the system, such as an open redirect bug and overprivileged app capabilities, to gain unauthorized access to smart home devices like door locks and smoke detectors. The researchers highlighted issues with the SmartThings platform's authentication protocol and the lack of proper restrictions on apps' access to connected devices, indicating a lack of professional competence in ensuring robust security measures during development.
(b) The software failure incident also involved accidental factors. The researchers discovered that the SmartThings platform had design flaws that inadvertently allowed for severe security breaches, such as planting backdoor PIN codes in digital locks and triggering smoke detectors remotely [43759]. These accidental vulnerabilities were exploited by the researchers to demonstrate how attackers could compromise the security of smart home devices through malicious apps and phishing attacks. Despite SmartThings' efforts to address the vulnerabilities, the researchers emphasized the need for better security measures to prevent accidental exploitation of the platform's weaknesses. |
| Duration |
permanent |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles can be categorized as a permanent failure. The incident involved serious security vulnerabilities in Samsung's SmartThings platform that allowed hackers to exploit design flaws and authentication vulnerabilities to take control of connected home devices, such as door locks and smoke detectors. The vulnerabilities were not limited to specific circumstances but were inherent in the platform's architecture, making it a persistent risk for users [43759, 44150].
The security researchers identified flaws in the SmartThings platform that could be exploited to plant backdoors in door locks, trigger smoke detectors remotely, and steal PIN codes. These vulnerabilities were not limited to a specific scenario but represented fundamental weaknesses in the platform's security design, making them ongoing risks for users [43759, 44150]. |
| Behaviour |
value, other |
(a) crash: The articles do not mention any instances of a crash where the system loses state and does not 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 involve the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early.
(d) value: The software failure incident falls under the category of a value failure. It involves the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. Specifically, the incident describes how hackers could exploit vulnerabilities in Samsung's SmartThings platform to take over smart locks and perform unauthorized actions, such as injecting new codes into door locks and planting backdoor PIN codes in digital locks [43759].
(e) byzantine: The incident does not exhibit a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be categorized as a security vulnerability. The incident involves potential attacks on Samsung's SmartThings platform, including phishing attacks, malware downloads, and exploitation of authentication flaws, leading to unauthorized access and control over smart home devices [43759, 44150]. |