Incident: Malware-infected Apps in Apple's App Store due to XcodeGhost Incident

Published Date: 2015-09-21

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident happened in September 2015. [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]
System 1. Xcode - The counterfeit version of Apple's software development program Xcode, known as XcodeGhost, was the system that failed [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374].
Responsible Organization 1. Hackers copied and modified a tool used by software developers for Apple's devices, leading to the insertion of bad code into apps available on the App Store [Article 51821]. 2. Malicious code, known as Xcode Ghost, was embedded in apps due to a tainted, counterfeit version of Apple's software development program Xcode [Article 51374]. 3. The attackers implanted the malicious code in a version of the software tools used to make apps for Apple devices, specifically in the toolset called Xcode [Article 52070].
Impacted Organization 1. Apple customers, including those in China and the United States, were impacted by the software failure incident [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374].
Software Causes 1. The software failure incident was caused by the presence of a malicious program called Xcode Ghost, which was a counterfeit version of Apple's software development program Xcode, hidden in legitimate apps on the App Store [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. 2. Hackers modified the tool used by software developers for Apple's devices, leading to the insertion of bad code into apps available on the App Store [51821, 51374]. 3. The malicious code was implanted in a version of the software tools used to make apps for Apple devices, specifically in the Xcode toolset, affecting numerous apps [52070]. 4. The tainted, counterfeit version of Apple's software for creating iOS and Mac apps, Xcode, was used by developers, unknowingly embedding the malicious code into their apps [51374]. 5. The infected version of Xcode, known as XcodeGhost, was uploaded to a Baidu server in China, where developers unknowingly picked up the counterfeit software [52103]. 6. The malware-infected apps were a result of developers using the infected version of Xcode due to faster download speeds in China compared to the official version from Apple [51374]. 7. The attack originated in China, affecting a significant number of apps made for the Chinese market, but also impacting some apps with international audiences [52070]. 8. The malicious code could steal unique identification numbers from devices, communicate with compromised phones, send fake alerts, hijack web links, and read data, potentially leading to data theft and phishing [52070]. 9. The incident highlighted a vulnerability in the app store's security processes, as it allowed a large number of apps with malicious code to bypass the stringent review process [51374]. 10. The malware-infected apps included popular ones like WeChat, Didi Kuaidi, and CamCard, affecting users who had downloaded these apps [51587, 51821, 51374].
Non-software Causes 1. The malicious code was implanted in a version of the software tools used to make apps for Apple devices, Xcode, by hackers, which developers unknowingly used [Article 52070]. 2. The infected version of Xcode was spread due to slow international internet connections in China, leading developers to download versions hosted elsewhere [Article 51374].
Impacts 1. The software failure incident led to the discovery of over 300 malware-infected apps in Apple's App Store, affecting potentially hundreds of millions of users [51587, 51821, 52103, 51374]. 2. The malware-infected apps were capable of stealing personal information, such as device IDs and potentially passwords, from the users' devices [51587, 51821, 52103, 51374]. 3. The incident highlighted a significant breach in Apple's usually stringent app review process, as it was the first reported case of a large number of malicious software programs bypassing these security measures [51374]. 4. The attackers managed to embed the malicious code, known as "XcodeGhost," by distributing a tainted version of Apple's software development program Xcode to developers, who unknowingly used it to create legitimate apps [51587, 51821, 52103, 51374]. 5. The incident raised concerns about the security of the App Store and the potential for further attacks targeting developers, as the malware was spread through compromised developer machines [51374]. 6. The infected apps included popular services like WeChat, Didi Kuaidi, and CamCard, impacting users not only in China but also internationally [51587, 51821, 52103, 51374]. 7. The incident caused Apple to take action by removing the infected apps from the App Store and working with developers to rebuild their apps using the official version of Xcode [51587, 51821, 52103, 51374].
Preventions 1. Ensuring the use of official and legitimate software development tools: The software failure incident could have been prevented if developers had strictly used the official version of Apple's software development program Xcode instead of a counterfeit version, as the malicious code was embedded in apps created using the tainted Xcode [51587, 51821, 52103, 51374]. 2. Implementing stricter security measures during the app review process: Apple could have prevented the incident by enhancing its app review process to detect any malicious code or malware hidden within the apps before they are made available on the App Store [51587, 51821, 52103, 51374]. 3. Educating developers and users about cybersecurity risks: Providing more awareness and training to developers and users about the risks of using unauthorized or counterfeit software tools, as well as the potential consequences of downloading apps from untrusted sources, could have helped prevent the spread of the malware [51587, 51821, 52103, 51374]. 4. Regular monitoring and auditing of app sources: Implementing regular checks and audits on the sources of app development tools and ensuring that developers are using legitimate versions of software tools could have helped in detecting and preventing the spread of malware through apps on the App Store [51587, 51821, 52103, 51374].
Fixes 1. Ensuring developers use the official version of Xcode for app development to prevent the insertion of malicious code into apps [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. 2. Conducting thorough security checks and reviews of apps before they are allowed on the App Store to detect any malware or malicious code [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. 3. Educating developers and users about the risks of using counterfeit or tainted software tools for app development and the importance of cybersecurity measures [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. 4. Promptly removing infected apps from the App Store once they are identified to prevent further spread of the malware [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. 5. Enhancing security measures within the App Store to prevent similar incidents in the future and protect user data [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374].
References 1. Security companies such as Palo Alto Networks and Fox-IT [51587, 51821, 51374] 2. Apple spokesperson Christine Monaghan [51587, 51821, 51374] 3. Reuters [52103] 4. The Washington Post [52103] 5. WeChat's official blog [52103] 6. Getty Images [52070] 7. AP [52070] 8. Chinese online security company Qihoo [51821, 51374] 9. Alibaba [51821] 10. Baidu server in China [52103] 11. Weibo, China’s version of Twitter [51821, 52070] 12. Github [52070] 13. Tencent Holdings [51374] 14. NetEase [51374] 15. Chinese security firm Qihoo360 Technology [51374]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization: - Apple faced a software failure incident related to malware-infected apps in the App Store due to a tainted version of its developer tools, known as XcodeGhost [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. (b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization: - The incident involving malware-infected apps in the App Store affected multiple organizations and developers who unknowingly used the tainted version of Xcode to create their apps, leading to the spread of malicious code [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374].
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident occurring due to the development phases: - The incident was caused by hackers who modified a tool used by software developers for Apple's devices, leading to the insertion of malicious code into apps available on the App Store [Article 51821]. - The malicious program called Xcode Ghost, a counterfeit version of Apple's software development program Xcode, was used to hide malware in legitimate apps, impacting hundreds of millions of users [Article 52103]. - The attackers implanted the malicious code in a version of the software tools (Xcode) used to make apps for Apple devices, which many developers and companies unknowingly used [Article 52070]. - The hackers convinced developers to use a tainted, counterfeit version of Apple's software for creating iOS and Mac apps, known as Xcode, which led to the insertion of the malicious code into legitimate apps [Article 51374]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to the operation phases: - The malware-infected apps were removed from the App Store after a tainted version of Apple's developer tools led to Chinese apps leaking users' personal information to hackers [Article 51374]. - The infected version of Xcode spread due to a quirk of Chinese internet filtering, where Chinese developers downloaded versions hosted elsewhere, leading to the insertion of privacy-busting code into the apps [Article 51374]. - The malware had limited functionality, and there were no reported instances of data theft or harm resulting from the attack [Article 51374]. - The security flaw affected certain versions of popular apps like WeChat, Didi Kuaidi, and NetEase's music app, but preliminary investigations showed no data theft or leakage of user information [Article 51374].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system, outside_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident involving the malware-infected apps in Apple's App Store was primarily caused by factors originating from within the system. The malicious code, known as XcodeGhost, was embedded in legitimate apps due to developers using a tainted version of Apple's software development program Xcode [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. This tainted version of Xcode, named XcodeGhost, was uploaded to a Baidu server in China, leading developers to unknowingly use it for app development, resulting in the spread of malware-infected apps on the App Store [51821]. The attack was facilitated by the fact that the infected Xcode version was downloaded by developers seeking faster downloads within China, where international connections are slower [51374]. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of the app store to compromise when hackers target machines of legitimate software developers [51374]. (b) outside_system: The software failure incident involving the malware-infected apps in Apple's App Store also had contributing factors originating from outside the system. The counterfeit version of Xcode, XcodeGhost, was created by hackers outside the Apple ecosystem and then distributed to developers, who unknowingly used it for app development [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. The attack was not initiated by Apple or its developers but rather by external malicious actors who managed to infiltrate the app development process by providing developers with the tainted software tools [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374].
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 Apple App Store was caused by malware known as XcodeGhost, which was embedded in legitimate apps due to a tainted version of Apple's software development program Xcode [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. - The malicious code was inserted into apps by convincing developers to use a counterfeit version of Xcode, which was hosted on servers outside China to bypass slow international connections [51374]. - The infected version of Xcode, XcodeGhost, was responsible for leaking users' personal information to hackers and was found in numerous popular apps in the App Store [51374]. - The malware had the capability to grab unique identification numbers on devices, communicate with compromised phones, send fake alerts, hijack web links, and read data [52070]. - The malware was discovered to have limited functionality, with no reported instances of data theft or other harm as a result of the attack [51374]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - The failure was facilitated by human actions as developers were convinced to use the tainted version of Xcode, leading to the insertion of the malicious code into legitimate apps [51374]. - The tainted version of Xcode was downloaded by developers seeking faster downloads in China, where international connections are slower due to internet filtering [51374]. - Apple confirmed that the malicious code was inserted into apps by developers using the counterfeit software, and the company was working with developers to ensure they use the proper version of Xcode to rebuild their apps [51587, 51821]. - The attack was a result of developers using the booby-trapped version of Xcode, which was posted by untrusted sources, compromising user security in apps created with this counterfeit tool [52103]. - The incident highlighted the vulnerability of the app store to compromise if hackers infect machines of software developers writing legitimate apps, making developers a significant target for such attacks [51374].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) software (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - The software failure incident reported in the articles is not attributed to hardware issues. Instead, the incident is related to malicious code being inserted into apps through a tainted version of Apple's software development program Xcode [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - The software failure incident is directly linked to software issues, specifically the insertion of malicious code named "XcodeGhost" into legitimate apps through a counterfeit version of Apple's Xcode software used for app development [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. This software failure incident highlights the vulnerability of the App Store to malicious software programs due to the compromised software development tools.
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The software failure incident in the articles is malicious in nature. Hackers managed to insert malicious code, known as XcodeGhost, into legitimate apps by providing developers with a tainted version of Apple's software development program Xcode [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. This counterfeit software was used to create apps that contained malware, allowing the attackers to access users' personal information, device IDs, and potentially steal passwords [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. The malware was capable of receiving commands from the attacker, such as reading and writing data to the victim's clipboard, opening specific URLs, and prompting fake alerts on the victim's screen [51587, 52103]. The attack was significant as it marked the first major successful attack on Apple's App Store, affecting potentially hundreds of millions of users [51821, 52103]. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of the app store to compromise if hackers infect machines of software developers writing legitimate apps [51374]. (b) The software failure incident was not non-malicious; it was a deliberate attack by hackers to infiltrate the App Store and compromise legitimate apps with malicious code.
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions, accidental_decisions (a) poor_decisions: The software failure incident involving the malware-infected apps in Apple's App Store was primarily due to poor decisions made by developers who used a tainted, counterfeit version of Apple's software development program Xcode. This counterfeit version, known as XcodeGhost, was created by hackers and inserted malicious code into legitimate apps, leading to the leakage of users' personal information [51374]. The use of the infected Xcode version was a result of developers seeking alternative domestic sources for large downloads due to slow international connections in China, which facilitated the spread of the malware [51374]. (b) accidental_decisions: The software failure incident can also be attributed to accidental decisions or unintended consequences. Many developers unknowingly used the tainted version of Xcode because it downloaded faster in China compared to the official version from Apple, leading to the inadvertent inclusion of the malicious code in their apps [52070]. Additionally, the infected Xcode version was posted on Github, a platform for sharing code, which raised questions about whether the dissemination of the malware was intentional or a mistake [52070].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence (a) The software failure incident occurring due to development incompetence: - The incident of malware-infected apps in the Apple App Store was caused by developers using a tainted, counterfeit version of Apple's software development program Xcode, known as XcodeGhost, which led to the leakage of users' personal information to hackers [51374]. - The infected version of Xcode was spread as Chinese developers sought alternative domestic sources for large downloads due to slow international connections, resulting in them downloading infected versions of Xcode [51374]. - The incident highlighted the vulnerability of the app store to compromise if hackers infect machines of software developers writing legitimate apps, making developers a significant target [51374]. (b) The software failure incident occurring accidentally: - The malicious code, XcodeGhost, was embedded in legitimate apps after hackers convinced developers to use a tainted, counterfeit version of Apple's software for creating iOS and Mac apps, Xcode, unintentionally leading to the inclusion of the privacy-busting code in the apps [51374]. - The infected apps included popular ones like WeChat, Didi Kuaidi, and a music app from NetEase, with some apps being mis-titled versions of popular apps used outside China, indicating accidental inclusion of the malicious code [51374]. - The incident showed that the app store could be compromised if hackers infected machines of software developers writing legitimate apps, a scenario that is hard to defend against and could be replicated by other attackers [51374].
Duration temporary (a) The software failure incident in the articles was temporary. The incident involved the discovery of malicious code, known as XcodeGhost, in multiple apps on Apple's App Store. Apple confirmed the presence of this malicious program and took action to remove the affected apps from the store [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. The incident was a result of hackers modifying a tool used by software developers, Xcode, to insert the malicious code into legitimate apps available on the App Store. Apple worked with developers to rebuild their apps using the official version of Xcode to address the issue [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. (b) The software failure incident was temporary as it was caused by specific circumstances, namely the insertion of the malicious code into apps through a counterfeit version of Xcode. Once the affected apps were identified, Apple took steps to remove them from the App Store and work with developers to rectify the situation [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374].
Behaviour omission, value, other (a) crash: - The software failure incident in the articles did not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. The incident primarily revolved around malware-infected apps being distributed through the App Store, affecting users' privacy and security [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. (b) omission: - The incident involved omission as the system omitted to perform its intended functions by allowing malware-infected apps to be available on the App Store, leading to data theft and phishing risks for users [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. (c) timing: - The timing of the incident was not a factor in the failure. The malware-infected apps were distributed through the App Store without any specific timing-related issues mentioned in the articles [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. (d) value: - The software failure incident falls under the category of value failure as the system performed its intended functions incorrectly by allowing malicious code to be embedded in legitimate apps, compromising user security and privacy [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. (e) byzantine: - The incident did not exhibit byzantine behavior where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The primary issue was the presence of malware in apps due to a tainted version of the developer tools used to create iOS apps [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374]. (f) other: - The other behavior observed in the software failure incident was the infiltration of malicious code into legitimate apps through a counterfeit version of Apple's software development program Xcode, leading to a significant security breach in the App Store ecosystem [51587, 51821, 52103, 52070, 51374].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception None None
Communication None None
Application None None

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence property, non-human, theoretical_consequence, other (a) death: There were no reports of people losing their lives due to the software failure incident described in the articles. (b) harm: The software failure incident did not result in physical harm to individuals as reported in the articles. (c) basic: The software failure incident did not impact people's access to food or shelter. (d) property: The software failure incident led to the leakage of users' personal information to hackers, potentially impacting their data security and privacy [Article 51374]. (e) delay: The software failure incident did not cause any delays in activities as reported in the articles. (f) non-human: The software failure incident impacted non-human entities, specifically the apps in the App Store that were infected with malware [Article 51374, Article 51587, Article 51821, Article 52103]. (g) no_consequence: The software failure incident had real observed consequences, particularly in terms of malware-infected apps being removed from the App Store and potential risks to users' data security [Article 51374, Article 51587, Article 51821, Article 52103]. (h) theoretical_consequence: The articles discussed potential consequences of the software failure incident, such as the possibility of data theft, fake alerts, and other harmful actions by the malware, but there were no confirmed reports of such incidents occurring [Article 51374, Article 51587, Article 51821, Article 52103]. (i) other: The software failure incident could have led to financial losses for individuals or companies affected by the malware, although this was not explicitly mentioned in the articles.
Domain information, transportation, health (a) The software failure incident affected the information industry by targeting popular apps like WeChat, a messaging app, and CamCard, a business card scanning app, which are used for communication and information storage [51587, 51821, 52103]. (b) The transportation industry was impacted as the Railway 12306 app, used for purchasing train tickets, was found to be infected with malware, affecting the movement of people [51587]. (j) The health industry was indirectly affected as the malware-infected apps could potentially be used to steal sensitive information like passwords, posing a risk to users' personal health data security [51587, 52070]. (m) The software failure incident was not directly related to any other industry mentioned in the options provided.

Sources

Back to List