Incident: TweetDeck Vulnerability Exploited by Hacker, Causing Mass Retweets

Published Date: 2014-06-12

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident with TweetDeck crashing due to a vulnerability exploited by a hacker occurred on the day the article was published, which was June 12, 2014 [27574].
System 1. TweetDeck software [27574] 2. XSS vulnerability in TweetDeck [27574]
Responsible Organization 1. Florian, an Austrian programming teenager, who discovered the vulnerability in TweetDeck's software by using the HTML symbol '&hearts' [27574]. 2. @derGeruhn, a hacker who exploited the vulnerability discovered by Florian and caused more than 40,000 users to involuntarily retweet a cryptic line of code [27574].
Impacted Organization 1. TweetDeck users - More than 40,000 users were impacted by the software failure incident as they involuntarily retweeted a cryptic line of code due to the vulnerability exploited by the hacker @derGeruhn [27574].
Software Causes 1. The software failure incident was caused by a vulnerability in TweetDeck's software that allowed the injection of computer program commands via a tweet, creating an opening for exploitation by hackers [27574]. 2. The vulnerability was triggered by a specific HTML code ('&hearts') that was discovered by an Austrian teenager named Florian, leading to the exploitation of the software flaw [27574]. 3. The hacker with the handle @derGeruhn took advantage of this vulnerability to cause more than 40,000 users to automatically retweet a cryptic line of code, further exploiting the software bug [27574]. 4. The incident involved a cross-site scripting (XSS) exploit, a type of attack that allows the attacker to run a script on the user's device, potentially gaining access to sensitive information such as passwords, usernames, and card numbers [27574].
Non-software Causes 1. The hacker @derGeruhn exploited a vulnerability in TweetDeck's software caused by the discovery made by the Austrian teen Florian involving the use of the HTML symbol '&hearts' [27574]. 2. Florian's experimentation with creating a pop-up on his own TweetDeck dashboard using the discovered vulnerability inadvertently led to the exploitation by the hacker @derGeruhn [27574]. 3. The hacker @derGeruhn, identified as Andy Perdana, took advantage of the vulnerability to execute a prank that affected over 40,000 users on TweetDeck [27574].
Impacts 1. TweetDeck crashed and was shut down for several hours while a fix was issued, impacting over 40,000 users who involuntarily retweeted a cryptic line of code [27574]. 2. The vulnerability allowed a hacker to inject computer program commands via a tweet, potentially compromising user data [27574]. 3. Users of the TweetDeck Chrome plugin reported getting random pop-up windows containing messages, indicating the exploit was actively affecting user experience [27574]. 4. The security issue led to Twitter pushing out a code fix that was supposed to close the security hole but did not fully resolve the problem initially [27574]. 5. The flaw could have been used to steal sensitive information such as passwords, usernames, and card numbers, posing a significant risk to user privacy and security [27574].
Preventions 1. Proper input validation and sanitization techniques could have prevented the software failure incident by ensuring that user input, such as the '&hearts' symbol, does not lead to vulnerabilities [27574]. 2. Regular security audits and testing of the software could have helped identify and fix the vulnerability before it was exploited by hackers [27574]. 3. Implementing secure coding practices and following industry standards for web application security could have reduced the likelihood of such vulnerabilities being present in the software [27574].
Fixes 1. Implementing a fix to address the vulnerability in TweetDeck's software that allowed the injection of computer program commands via a tweet [27574]. 2. Releasing a code fix to close the security hole that was supposed to prevent further exploitation of the vulnerability [27574]. 3. Advising users to log out of the app, remove saved passwords, sign in again on a secure browser session, and change their logins as a precaution against potential data theft [27574].
References 1. Florian, the Austrian teen who discovered the vulnerability in TweetDeck's software [Article 27574] 2. @derGeruhn, the hacker who exploited the vulnerability in TweetDeck [Article 27574] 3. Andy Perdana, the German programmer and college student behind the @derGeruhn handle [Article 27574] 4. Twitter's official statements and updates regarding the security incident [Article 27574] 5. George Anderson, a security expert from Webroot, providing insights on the security flaw and its implications [Article 27574]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization (a) The software failure incident related to TweetDeck crashing due to a vulnerability caused by a heart symbol being used in HTML happened again at the same organization, Twitter. The incident occurred when a hacker exploited the vulnerability discovered by an Austrian teen named Florian, causing more than 40,000 users to involuntarily retweet a cryptic line of code [27574]. This incident led to TweetDeck being shut down for several hours while a fix was issued. Additionally, the hacker responsible for the attack was identified as @derGeruhn, a German programmer and college student [27574]. (b) There is no information in the provided article about a similar incident happening at other organizations or with their products and services.
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident in the article was primarily due to a design flaw introduced by the system development process. The incident occurred when an Austrian teen discovered a vulnerability in TweetDeck's software by using the HTML code '&hearts' to create a heart symbol, which allowed for the injection of computer program commands via a tweet [27574]. (b) Additionally, the software failure incident also involved operation-related factors as the hacker @derGeruhn exploited the vulnerability created by the design flaw to cause more than 40,000 users to involuntarily retweet a cryptic line of code. This misuse of the system by the hacker led to the disruption of TweetDeck's operation, forcing Twitter to shut down the service for several hours while a fix was issued [27574].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system, outside_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident with TweetDeck was caused by a vulnerability discovered by a teenager named Florian who found that using the HTML code '&hearts' created a heart symbol, which in turn created an opening in TweetDeck's software allowing for the injection of computer program commands [27574]. (b) outside_system: The software failure incident was further exacerbated when a hacker with the handle @derGeruhn exploited this vulnerability, causing more than 40,000 users to automatically retweet a cryptic line of code. This external factor of a malicious attack from outside the system led to the widespread impact on users and the need for TweetDeck to be shut down for several hours to address the issue [27574].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident in this case was primarily due to non-human actions. The incident occurred when an Austrian teen discovered a vulnerability in TweetDeck's software by using the HTML code '&hearts' to create a heart symbol, which inadvertently created an opening in the software that could be exploited [27574]. (b) However, human actions also played a role in this software failure incident. After the teen disclosed the vulnerability to Twitter, a hacker with the handle @derGeruhn exploited the vulnerability, causing more than 40,000 users to involuntarily retweet a cryptic line of code. This human action of exploiting the vulnerability led to the widespread impact of the incident [27574].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) software (a) The software failure incident reported in Article 27574 was primarily due to contributing factors originating in software. The incident involved a vulnerability in TweetDeck's software that allowed a hacker to inject computer program commands via a tweet, leading to the exploitation of the system and the involuntary retweeting of a cryptic line of code by over 40,000 users [27574]. (b) The software failure incident was not attributed to hardware-related factors but rather to a software bug in TweetDeck that was exploited by a hacker.
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious, non-malicious (a) The software failure incident in this case was malicious. The incident occurred when a hacker, with the handle @derGeruhn, exploited a vulnerability in TweetDeck's software that was initially discovered by a teenager named Florian. The hacker caused over 40,000 users to involuntarily retweet a cryptic line of code, demonstrating malicious intent [27574]. (b) The incident was also non-malicious in nature as it was initially discovered by the teenager, Florian, who stumbled upon the vulnerability while experimenting with HTML symbols. Florian reported the vulnerability to Twitter after creating a pop-up on his own TweetDeck dashboard, indicating that the discovery was accidental and not with the intent to harm the system [27574].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) accidental_decisions (a) poor_decisions: The software failure incident involving TweetDeck crashing was not due to poor decisions but rather an accidental decision made by an Austrian teen named Florian. Florian accidentally discovered a vulnerability in TweetDeck's software by using the HTML code '&hearts' to create a heart symbol, which was then exploited by a hacker named @derGeruhn [27574]. (b) accidental_decisions: The software failure incident involving TweetDeck crashing was primarily due to accidental decisions. Florian accidentally discovered a vulnerability in TweetDeck's software by using the HTML code '&hearts' to create a heart symbol, which was then exploited by a hacker named @derGeruhn. Florian himself described it as an accident rather than a deliberate hack [27574].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence, accidental (a) The software failure incident in Article 27574 was primarily due to development incompetence. An Austrian teen named Florian discovered a vulnerability in TweetDeck's software by using the HTML code '&hearts' to create a heart symbol, which allowed for the injection of computer program commands via a tweet. This vulnerability was then exploited by a hacker named @derGeruhn, causing over 40,000 users to involuntarily retweet a cryptic line of code. Florian, the teen who discovered the vulnerability, mentioned that it was not a hack but rather an accident caused by the software bug he found [27574]. (b) Additionally, the incident can also be categorized as accidental as Florian stumbled upon the vulnerability accidentally while experimenting with HTML code to create a heart symbol. He did not intend for this action to lead to a security breach but rather discovered it by chance. The subsequent exploitation of this vulnerability by the hacker @derGeruhn was not part of Florian's original intention but rather an unintended consequence of the software bug he found [27574].
Duration temporary (a) The software failure incident in this case was temporary. TweetDeck was shut down for several hours while a fix was issued to address the vulnerability exploited by the hacker. The incident was not permanent as measures were taken to resolve the issue and restore the service [27574].
Behaviour crash, omission, value, other (a) crash: The software failure incident in this case can be categorized as a crash. TweetDeck crashed after a vulnerability was exploited by a hacker, causing more than 40,000 users to involuntarily retweet a cryptic line of code. As a result, the service was shut down for several hours while a fix was issued [27574]. (b) omission: The software failure incident can also be categorized as an omission. The vulnerability in TweetDeck allowed someone to inject computer program commands via a tweet, which led to the omission of the system's intended functions and the propagation of the security issue [27574]. (d) value: The software failure incident can be categorized as a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The vulnerability in TweetDeck allowed the hacker to exploit the system and cause users to automatically retweet a cryptic line of code, which was not the intended behavior of the platform [27574]. (f) other: Additionally, the software failure incident can be categorized as an "other" behavior. The incident involved a hacker exploiting a vulnerability in the system, leading to unauthorized actions and potential data compromise. The incident also involved the system being temporarily shut down, code fixes being pushed out, and users being advised to take precautions such as logging out and removing saved passwords [27574].

IoT System Layer

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

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence property, theoretical_consequence (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure The software failure incident involving TweetDeck resulted in a hacker exploiting a vulnerability discovered by a teenager named Florian, causing more than 40,000 users to automatically retweet a cryptic line of code [27574]. This incident led to potential data compromise as experts warned that data could have been compromised by the attack [27574]. Additionally, the vulnerability allowed attackers to place computer code in a tweet, which could run actions and be retweeted to other accounts, potentially leading to further propagation of the problem [27574]. The flaw in TweetDeck's code also allowed for the execution of scripts on users' devices, potentially enabling attackers to access sensitive information such as passwords, usernames, and card numbers [27574].
Domain information (a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is related to the information industry, specifically social media and online communication platforms like TweetDeck [27574].

Sources

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