Published Date: 2016-07-22
| Postmortem Analysis | |
|---|---|
| Timeline | 1. The software failure incident happened in early May 2019 [#, #, ...] 2. The software failure incident happened in May 2019. |
| System | 1. WhatsApp's software system [84821] 2. Apple iPhones, iPads, and Macs [131250] 3. Apple's iOS mobile operating system [47120] 4. Apple iPhones [90793] |
| Responsible Organization | 1. NSO Group [90793, 84821] 2. Israeli police [123215] |
| Impacted Organization | 1. Amazon chief Jeff Bezos was impacted by the software failure incident involving a hack through a WhatsApp message [94357]. 2. Apple users, including those with iPhones, iPads, and Macs, were impacted by serious security vulnerabilities in their devices [131250]. 3. iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac users were impacted by a critical vulnerability that allowed remote hacking without user interaction [108581]. 4. Civilians, including politicians and leaders of protest movements, were impacted by Israeli police using NSO hacking software to spy on them without proper legal permissions [123215]. 5. People using WhatsApp were impacted by a flaw that allowed hackers to remotely hijack phones without any user interaction [90793]. 6. People targeted by the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware, including journalists, attorneys, human rights activists, government officials, political dissidents, and diplomats, were impacted by the hacking campaign through WhatsApp [84821]. |
| Software Causes | 1. The failure incident was caused by a flaw in the popular WhatsApp communications program that allowed hackers to remotely hijack dozens of phones without any user interaction. The flaw was exploited by a sophisticated group of hackers-for-hire, with the hacking group identified as Israel's NSO Group [84821]. 2. The spyware used by the NSO Group took advantage of a bug in the WhatsApp software to remotely infect mobile phones, enabling the hackers to take control of the devices, access cameras and microphones, and gather personal and location data [84821]. 3. The spyware was able to penetrate phones through missed calls alone using the app's voice calling function, allowing the malware to infect devices without any action required from the users [84821]. 4. The exploit used by the NSO Group did not directly affect the end-to-end encryption of WhatsApp chats and calls but rather used the bug in the software as a means to infect the devices [84821]. 5. The vulnerability in WhatsApp was discovered while the company was enhancing security for voice calls, and the flaw was found to allow the installation of spyware through a phone call without the user's knowledge [84821]. |
| Non-software Causes | 1. The hacking incident involving the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware was caused by a flaw in the popular WhatsApp communications program that allowed remote hijacking of phones without any user interaction [84821]. 2. The spyware exploited a bug in the WhatsApp software to infect devices through missed calls alone using the app's voice calling function, affecting both iPhones and Android devices [84821]. 3. The spyware did not directly impact the end-to-end encryption of WhatsApp chats and calls but used the bug in the software as a means of infection [84821]. 4. The malware allowed spies to take control of a phone remotely, accessing cameras, microphones, personal data, and location information [84821]. 5. The spyware was able to penetrate phones through missed calls alone, using the voice calling function of WhatsApp as an infection vehicle [84821]. 6. The flaw in WhatsApp's software was discovered while the team was enhancing security for voice calls, leading to the identification of the vulnerability [84821]. |
| Impacts | 1. The software failure incident involving the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware allowed hackers to remotely hijack dozens of phones without any user interaction through a flaw in WhatsApp, potentially compromising personal and location data, as well as accessing cameras and microphones [#84821]. 2. The spyware exploit affected a significant number of individuals, including journalists, attorneys, human rights activists, government officials, political dissidents, and diplomats in countries like Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain [#84821]. 3. The vulnerability exploited by the NSO Group's spyware was discovered by WhatsApp's security team, leading to the release of a new version of the app containing a fix to address the issue [#84821]. 4. The incident raised concerns about the abuse of surveillance tools like Pegasus, highlighting the potential risks associated with targeted hacking campaigns and the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures [#84821]. 5. The discovery of the vulnerability prompted legal action by Facebook against the NSO Group, alleging violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and seeking a permanent injunction to prevent further exploitation of WhatsApp [#90793]. 6. The incident underscored the challenges posed by sophisticated hacking techniques that can bypass encryption and compromise the security and privacy of individuals using messaging apps like WhatsApp [#84821]. 7. The NSO Group denied the allegations and stated that its technology is intended for use by law enforcement and intelligence agencies to combat crime and terrorism, emphasizing the importance of investigating any misuse of its tools [#90793]. |
| Preventions | 1. Regular security audits and testing of the WhatsApp software to identify vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by hackers [90793]. 2. Implementing stricter permissions and controls on the use of surveillance tools like Pegasus by NSO Group to prevent misuse and unauthorized surveillance [123215]. 3. Promptly applying software updates and patches to fix known security flaws, as WhatsApp did after discovering the vulnerability [84821]. 4. Enhancing user education and awareness about potential security risks and best practices to protect their devices from hacking attempts [84821]. 5. Strengthening legal regulations and oversight on the use of surveillance technology to ensure compliance with human rights standards and prevent abuse [123215]. |
| Fixes | 1. Updating the WhatsApp program containing the fix for the security flaw could help fix the software failure incident [#84821]. 2. Conducting a thorough internal investigation by the Israeli police to ensure compliance with legal permissions and proper procedures regarding the use of NSO Group's software could help address the issue [#123215]. 3. Implementing additional security enhancements to prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future, as done by WhatsApp's security team, could help prevent such incidents from occurring again [#84821]. 4. Seeking a state-level commission to investigate the allegations and ensure accountability, as suggested by Minister of the Environmental Protection Tamar Zandberg, could provide further insights and solutions to address the issue [#123215]. 5. Continuing to monitor and review the actions taken by relevant parties to ensure compliance with the law and prevent misuse of surveillance tools could help mitigate the risks associated with such software vulnerabilities [#123215]. | References | 1. Financial Times 2. WhatsApp spokesperson 3. NSO Group spokesperson 4. Israeli officials 5. Facebook spokesperson 6. John Scott-Railton, researcher with Citizen Lab 7. Amnesty International 8. Israeli Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai 9. Minister of Public Security Omer Bar-Lev 10. Minister of Energy Karine Elharrar 11. Member of Parliament Moshe Arbel 12. NSO Group statement 13. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz 14. Intel statement 15. AP Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay 16. Frank Bajak 17. Raphael Satter |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring | one_organization, multiple_organization | [a] The software failure incident related to the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware has happened before at multiple organizations. The spyware has been found deployed to hack journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, and dissidents in various countries. It has been implicated in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and has targeted Mexican civil society figures. Additionally, NSO's spyware has been used to target a U.K.-based human rights lawyer. The spyware has been used for targeted attacks on specific individuals, including those in the media, legal profession, and human rights advocacy [84821]. [b] The software failure incident related to the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware has happened before at multiple organizations. The spyware has been found deployed to hack journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, and dissidents in various countries. It has been implicated in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and has targeted Mexican civil society figures. Additionally, NSO's spyware has been used to target a U.K.-based human rights lawyer. The spyware has been used for targeted attacks on specific individuals, including those in the media, legal profession, and human rights advocacy [84821]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) | design, operation | (a) In the software failure incident related to the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware, the flaw in the popular WhatsApp communications program allowed hackers to remotely hijack dozens of phones without any user interaction. The spyware exploited a bug in the WhatsApp software as an infection vehicle, enabling spies to take control of a phone, including accessing cameras, microphones, and personal data. This flaw was discovered by WhatsApp's security team while enhancing security for voice calls, and a fix was promptly released to address the issue [#, #]. (b) The operation phase failure in the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware incident involved the spyware being used to remotely infect phones through missed calls alone, exploiting the app's voice calling function. The malware allowed spies to take control of the infected devices, accessing cameras, microphones, personal data, and location information. The spyware was able to penetrate phones without any user interaction, demonstrating a significant security vulnerability in the operation of the WhatsApp software [#, #]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) | within_system | - The software failure incident related to the WhatsApp hack involving the NSO Group can be categorized as **within_system** as the flaw in the WhatsApp software allowed hackers to remotely hijack phones without any user interaction [Article 84821]. - The incident involved a flaw in the WhatsApp software that was exploited by the NSO Group to remotely infect phones through missed calls, affecting both iPhones and Android devices [Article 84821]. - The spyware used in the attack did not directly affect the end-to-end encryption of WhatsApp but rather used a bug in the software to infect devices [Article 84821]. - The vulnerability was discovered by WhatsApp's security team while enhancing security for voice calls, and a fix was promptly released to address the issue [Article 84821]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) | non-human_actions, human_actions | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The software flaw that allowed iPhones to be hacked remotely through Wi-Fi was exploited by a group of hackers-for-hire without any user interaction [Article 108581]. - The spyware crafted by a sophisticated group of hackers-for-hire took advantage of a flaw in WhatsApp to remotely hijack phones without any user interaction [Article 84821]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - Facebook took legal action against the Israeli surveillance company NSO Group, alleging that it was behind a targeted hacking campaign against people using WhatsApp [Article 90793]. - Israeli police allegedly used the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware to spy on civilians without the required legal permissions [Article 123215]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) | software | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: The articles do not provide information about the software failure incident occurring due to contributing factors originating in hardware. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: 1. The software failure incident involving the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware exploiting a flaw in WhatsApp to remotely hijack phones without user interaction is a clear example of a software failure incident originating in software [84821]. 2. The incident involved the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware being used to remotely hack into phones through a flaw in WhatsApp, allowing spies to take control of the devices [84821]. 3. The spyware exploited a bug in the WhatsApp software as an infection vehicle, allowing spies to effectively take control of a phone and access its cameras, microphones, and personal data [84821]. 4. The spyware did not directly affect the end-to-end encryption of WhatsApp but used a bug in the software to infect devices [84821]. 5. The flaw in WhatsApp allowed hackers to remotely infect phones through missed calls alone, using the app's voice calling function [84821]. 6. The malware was able to penetrate phones through missed calls alone using the app's voice calling function, indicating a software vulnerability [84821]. 7. The spyware was capable of remotely infecting mobile phones and eavesdropping on calls or text messages, showcasing a software vulnerability [84821]. 8. The incident highlighted the importance of software security and the need for prompt software updates to address vulnerabilities [84821]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) | malicious | [a: #84821] The software failure incident involving the WhatsApp hack by the NSO Group can be classified as malicious. The spyware created by the NSO Group exploited a flaw in WhatsApp to remotely hijack phones without any user interaction, allowing spies to take control of the devices, access cameras and microphones, and gather personal and location data. The spyware was used for targeted attacks on specific individuals, including journalists, attorneys, human rights activists, government officials, political dissidents, and diplomats. NSO Group has a history of selling surveillance tools to repressive governments, and the spyware was implicated in various incidents, including the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. WhatsApp quickly fixed the issue and provided a patch to users, but the hack was a deliberate attempt to infiltrate devices for surveillance purposes. [b: #90793] The software failure incident involving the NSO Group's exploitation of a flaw in WhatsApp to remotely hijack phones can be classified as non-malicious. The flaw in WhatsApp allowed hackers to remotely infect phones through missed calls without any user interaction. The spyware did not directly affect the end-to-end encryption of WhatsApp but used the bug in the software as an infection vehicle. WhatsApp discovered the flaw and released a new version of the app containing a fix. The malware was able to penetrate phones through missed calls alone, affecting an unknown number of people. WhatsApp urged users to update the app to secure their devices, and the company provided information to law enforcement to assist in investigations. The hack was a result of a bug in the software that was exploited by hackers for surveillance purposes. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) | poor_decisions | [a90793, a84821] The software failure incident related to the WhatsApp hack by the NSO Group was an intentional act by the NSO Group to exploit a flaw in the WhatsApp software to remotely hijack phones without any user interaction. The NSO Group created an exploit used to hack into devices through WhatsApp, allowing spies to take control of a phone, access cameras, microphones, and personal data. The spyware was designed to infect phones through missed calls alone, using the app's voice calling function, without the need for any user interaction. This intentional act was aimed at specific targets, including journalists, attorneys, human rights activists, government officials, political dissidents, and diplomats, in countries like Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. The NSO Group denied the allegations but acknowledged that their technology is used by government intelligence and law enforcement agencies for surveillance purposes. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) | development_incompetence, accidental | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to development incompetence: The incident involving the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware exploiting a flaw in WhatsApp to remotely hijack phones without user interaction can be attributed to development incompetence. The spyware was able to penetrate phones through missed calls alone, exploiting a bug in the WhatsApp software, allowing spies to take control of a phone remotely. This flaw was discovered by WhatsApp's security team while enhancing security for voice calls, indicating a lack of professional competence in ensuring the software's robustness against such vulnerabilities [#, #, #, #, #]. (b) The software failure incident occurring accidentally: The incident involving the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware exploiting a flaw in WhatsApp to remotely hijack phones without user interaction can also be considered as a failure occurring accidentally. The spyware used a bug in the WhatsApp software as an infection vehicle, allowing hackers to effectively take control of a phone without any user interaction. This accidental flaw in the software's design and implementation led to the exploitation by the spyware, compromising the privacy and security of users [#, #, #, #, #]. |
| Duration | temporary | The software failure incident related to the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware exploiting a flaw in WhatsApp to remotely hijack phones was a temporary failure. The flaw allowed hackers to remotely infect devices through missed calls using the app's voice calling function, affecting both iPhones and Android devices. WhatsApp quickly discovered the flaw, fixed it, and pushed out a patch to address the vulnerability [#, #, #, #, #]. However, the exploit was used to remotely take control of phones, compromising personal data, cameras, microphones, and location information [#, #, #, #]. The issue was not widespread, affecting only a small number of individuals who were targeted by the malware [#, #]. |
| Behaviour | crash, omission, value, byzantine, other | (a) crash: The software failure incident related to the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware used to hack into phones through WhatsApp can be categorized as a crash. The spyware exploited a flaw in the WhatsApp software to remotely hijack phones without any user interaction, effectively taking control of the devices. This resulted in the system losing control and being remotely controlled by the hackers. [84821] (b) omission: The software failure incident related to the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware used to hack into phones through WhatsApp can also be categorized as an omission. The spyware infected phones through missed calls alone, exploiting the app's voice calling function without any user interaction. This led to the system omitting to perform its intended functions securely, allowing the spyware to take control of the devices. [84821] (c) timing: The software failure incident related to the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware used to hack into phones through WhatsApp does not align with the timing failure category. The incident was more focused on exploiting a flaw in the software to gain control of the devices rather than being related to timing issues. [84821] (d) value: The software failure incident related to the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware used to hack into phones through WhatsApp can be categorized as a value failure. The spyware allowed spies to effectively take control of a phone, accessing cameras, microphones, personal data, and location data. This resulted in the system performing its intended functions incorrectly by allowing unauthorized access and control. [84821] (e) byzantine: The software failure incident related to the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware used to hack into phones through WhatsApp can be categorized as a byzantine failure. The spyware allowed spies to remotely hijack phones without any user interaction, leading to inconsistent responses and interactions with the devices. The malware effectively took control of the phones, leading to inconsistent behavior. [84821] (f) other: The software failure incident related to the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware used to hack into phones through WhatsApp can also be categorized as a failure due to a flaw in the software as an infection vehicle. The spyware exploited a bug in the WhatsApp software to infect devices, leading to unauthorized access and control. This can be considered a failure due to a flaw in the software itself. [84821] |
| Layer | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Perception | None | None |
| Communication | None | None |
| Application | None | None |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Consequence | harm, property, other | (a) death: People lost their lives due to the software failure - There is no information in the provided articles about people losing their lives due to the software failure incident. (b) harm: People were physically harmed due to the software failure - The software failure incident involving the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware did not directly cause physical harm to individuals. It allowed spies to take control of phones remotely, accessing cameras, microphones, and personal data [#, #]. (c) basic: People's access to food or shelter was impacted because of the software failure - There is no information in the provided articles about people's access to food or shelter being impacted due to the software failure incident. (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure - The software failure incident involving the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware allowed spies to access personal and location data on phones, compromising privacy and potentially sensitive information [#, #]. (e) delay: People had to postpone an activity due to the software failure - There is no information in the provided articles about people having to postpone an activity due to the software failure incident. (f) non-human: Non-human entities were impacted due to the software failure - The software failure incident primarily impacted human users of WhatsApp and their devices, with the spyware targeting specific individuals for surveillance [#, #]. (g) no_consequence: There were no real observed consequences of the software failure - The software failure incident involving the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware had real consequences, as it allowed unauthorized access to personal data on phones [#, #]. (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed of the software failure that did not occur - The potential consequences discussed in the articles included the ability of the spyware to remotely hijack phones, access cameras and microphones, and gather personal and location data. These were actual consequences of the software failure incident [#, #]. (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 software failure incident involving the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware raised concerns about privacy, surveillance, and the potential misuse of surveillance tools by governments and other entities [#, #]. |
| Domain | information | (a) The failed system was intended to support the information industry. The incident involved a flaw in the popular WhatsApp communications program, which allowed hackers to remotely hijack dozens of phones without any user interaction. The spyware exploited a bug in the WhatsApp software to infect devices and gain control over them, accessing personal and location data [Article 84821]. (b) The incident did not directly relate to the transportation industry. (c) The incident did not directly relate to the natural resources industry. (d) The incident did not directly relate to the sales industry. (e) The incident did not directly relate to the construction industry. (f) The incident did not directly relate to the manufacturing industry. (g) The incident did not directly relate to the utilities industry. (h) The incident did not directly relate to the finance industry. (i) The incident did not directly relate to the knowledge industry. (j) The incident did not directly relate to the health industry. (k) The incident did not directly relate to the entertainment industry. (l) The incident did not directly relate to the government industry. (m) The failed system was related to the software industry, specifically involving the NSO Group's Pegasus spyware used to hack into phones through WhatsApp, targeting individuals such as journalists, human rights activists, and government officials [Article 84821]. |
Article ID: 94357
Article ID: 131250
Article ID: 45785
Article ID: 102291
Article ID: 118826
Article ID: 47120
Article ID: 119061
Article ID: 108581
Article ID: 123215
Article ID: 90793
Article ID: 84821