Incident: Data Breach at VMWare by Hacker Hardcore Charlie.

Published Date: 2012-04-26

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident involving the theft of VMWare source code by a hacker named "Hardcore Charlie" happened in 2012 [11386].
System 1. VMWare ESX source code [11386]
Responsible Organization 1. Hacker associated with LulzSec, "Hardcore Charlie" [11386] 2. Potentially the Chinese import-export company, China National Electronics Import-Export Corporation (CEIEC) [11386]
Impacted Organization 1. VMWare - The software failure incident involving the theft of VMWare's source code by a hacker impacted VMWare directly [11386].
Software Causes 1. The software cause of the failure incident was a hacker associated with LulzSec, known as "Hardcore Charlie," stealing at least one and possibly more source files for VMWare's software and posting them online [11386]. 2. The theft of the source code may have originated from a hacking attack on a Chinese import-export company, CEIEC, where 1TB of data was copied, suggesting that CEIEC had the code originally [11386]. 3. The hacker claimed to have cracked cryptographic hashes on the credentials of hundreds of thousands of sina.com email accounts with the help of another hacker, @Yamatough, who was involved in distributing fake documents regarding monitoring systems for smartphones [11386].
Non-software Causes 1. The theft of VMWare source files was associated with a hacking attack on a Chinese import-export company, CEIEC, where 1TB of data was copied [11386]. 2. The hacker claimed to have cracked cryptographic hashes on the credentials of hundreds of thousands of sina.com email accounts with the help of another hacker [11386].
Impacts 1. The theft of VMWare source code by the hacker "Hardcore Charlie" could potentially lead to the code being sold to rivals or competitors, or being manipulated to include malware that could compromise user data [11386]. 2. The incident raised concerns about the security of VMWare's software and the potential risks to customers, although VMWare stated that the sharing of the source code does not necessarily increase the risk to its customers [11386].
Preventions 1. Implementing robust cybersecurity measures such as multi-factor authentication, encryption, and regular security audits could have prevented the hacker from gaining unauthorized access to VMWare's source code [11386]. 2. Conducting thorough background checks and security assessments on third-party vendors like CEIEC could have helped identify and mitigate potential risks of source code theft [11386]. 3. Enhancing internal security protocols and access controls within VMWare's systems to limit the exposure of sensitive source code data could have reduced the likelihood of a successful breach [11386]. 4. Educating employees on cybersecurity best practices, including recognizing and reporting suspicious activities or phishing attempts, could have helped prevent social engineering tactics used by hackers to gain access to confidential information [11386].
Fixes 1. Enhancing cybersecurity measures to prevent future hacking incidents like the one experienced by VMWare [11386]. 2. Conducting a thorough review of internal security protocols and access controls to ensure the protection of sensitive source code [11386]. 3. Implementing regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities proactively [11386]. 4. Collaborating with cybersecurity experts and organizations to stay updated on the latest threats and best practices in the industry [11386]. 5. Educating employees on cybersecurity best practices and the importance of safeguarding confidential information to prevent insider threats [11386].
References 1. Hardcore Charlie, the hacker associated with LulzSec [11386] 2. Kaspersky Lab [11386] 3. CEIEC (China National Electronics Import-Export Corporation) [11386] 4. @Yamatough, another hacker involved in the incident [11386] 5. Iain Mulholland, director of VMware's security response centre [11386]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident related to VMWare being hacked and having its source code stolen by a hacker named "Hardcore Charlie" is an example of a software failure incident happening again within the same organization. This incident is reminiscent of the hacking incident involving LulzSec in 2011, which targeted websites like Sony Pictures Europe and News International [11386]. (b) The incident involving the theft of VMWare's source code by the hacker "Hardcore Charlie" could also be seen as a case where a similar incident has happened at multiple organizations. The hacker claimed to have cracked cryptographic hashes on the credentials of hundreds of thousands of sina.com email accounts, indicating a broader impact beyond just VMWare [11386].
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article where a hacker associated with LulzSec stole source files for VMWare's software. The hacker claimed to have 300MB of VMWare source code, which was speculated to have originated from a hacking attack on a Chinese import-export company, CEIEC. The leaked documents showed internal VMWare letters and memos on a CEIEC letterhead, indicating a potential breach in the design phase of the software [11386]. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can be inferred from the potential risk mentioned by VMWare regarding the stolen source code. The hacker who obtained the source code could potentially compile versions infected with malware that could compromise user data. This indicates a risk introduced by the operation or misuse of the system, highlighting vulnerabilities in the operational aspects of the software [11386].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system, outside_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident involving VMWare's source code theft by the hacker "Hardcore Charlie" can be categorized as within_system. The incident was a result of a hacker gaining unauthorized access to VMWare's source code, potentially through a breach in VMWare's own systems. The hacker claimed to have obtained 300MB of VMWare source code, indicating a breach within VMWare's system [11386]. Additionally, the stolen source code was confirmed by VMWare to be from its ESX source code, further pointing to an internal breach [11386]. (b) outside_system: On the other hand, the software failure incident could also be considered as outside_system due to contributing factors originating from outside the system. There were speculations that the theft of VMWare's source code may have originated from a hacking attack on a Chinese import-export company, CEIEC, where 1TB of data was copied [11386]. This suggests that the breach leading to the source code theft may have initially occurred outside of VMWare's system, at the Chinese company, before impacting VMWare.
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident in this case was primarily due to non-human actions, specifically a hack carried out by a hacker associated with LulzSec named "Hardcore Charlie" who stole VMWare source files and began posting them online [11386]. (b) Human actions also played a role in this incident as the hacker claimed to have cracked cryptographic hashes on the credentials of hundreds of thousands of sina.com email accounts with the help of another hacker named @Yamatough [11386]. Additionally, the potential risk of a hacker with access to the full source code selling it to rivals or infecting it with malware highlights the impact of human actions in this software failure incident.
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware, software (a) The software failure incident related to hardware: - The incident involved a hacker, known as "Hardcore Charlie," stealing source files for VMWare's software and posting them online [11386]. - Speculations were made that the theft of the source code may have originated from a hacking attack on a Chinese import-export company, CEIEC, where 1TB of data was copied [11386]. - The hacker claimed to have 300MB of VMWare source code, which was suggested to have originally belonged to CEIEC [11386]. (b) The software failure incident related to software: - The hacker, Hardcore Charlie, stole source files for VMWare's software, indicating a software-related security breach [11386]. - The stolen source code was confirmed to be from VMWare's ESX source code [11386]. - There were concerns that the hacker could compile the source code into versions infected with malware, potentially compromising user data [11386].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The software failure incident in this case is malicious. The incident involved a hacker associated with LulzSec, known as "Hardcore Charlie," stealing source files for VMWare's software and posting them online [11386]. The hacker claimed to have 300MB of VMWare source code and was seeking information on the US military campaign in Afghanistan. Additionally, the hacker cracked cryptographic hashes on the credentials of hundreds of thousands of sina.com email accounts [11386]. (b) There is no information in the articles to suggest that the software failure incident was non-malicious.
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions (a) The intent of the software failure incident related to poor decisions: - The software failure incident involving the theft of VMWare source code by a hacker named "Hardcore Charlie" was driven by the intent to obtain information on the US military campaign in Afghanistan [11386]. - The hacker claimed to have cracked cryptographic hashes on the credentials of hundreds of thousands of sina.com email accounts with the help of another hacker, indicating a deliberate effort to access sensitive information [11386]. - The hacker's actions of stealing and posting VMWare source files online suggest a deliberate intent to compromise the security and integrity of the software [11386].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as a hacker associated with LulzSec, known as "Hardcore Charlie," stole source files for VMWare's software and began posting them online [11386]. This breach highlights a significant security vulnerability that could have been prevented with better security measures during the software development process. (b) The accidental aspect of the software failure incident is seen in the unauthorized access and theft of VMWare's source code by the hacker, which was not intended or planned by the company [11386]. This incident was not a deliberate action by VMWare but rather a result of a security breach caused by the actions of an external threat actor.
Duration temporary The software failure incident reported in the articles is more likely to be considered as a temporary failure rather than a permanent one. This is evident from the fact that the incident involved a hacker stealing VMWare source files and posting them online [11386]. The breach of security and theft of source code are contributing factors introduced by certain circumstances (the hacking attack) rather than being inherent to the software itself. Additionally, the incident involved unauthorized access and potential misuse of the stolen source code, indicating a breach rather than a fundamental flaw in the software.
Behaviour other (a) crash: The software failure incident in the article is not described as a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions [11386]. (b) omission: The incident does not mention a failure due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s) [11386]. (c) timing: The incident does not involve a failure due to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early [11386]. (d) value: The software failure incident does not involve a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly [11386]. (e) byzantine: The incident does not describe the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions [11386]. (f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident in the article is related to a security breach where a hacker stole source files for VMWare software and began posting them online. This behavior falls under the category of a security breach rather than the specific behaviors listed in options (a) to (e) [11386].

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 VMWare being hacked by "Hardcore Charlie" resulted in the theft of at least one source file for its software, with the hacker claiming to have 300MB of VMWare source code [11386]. This breach of source code could potentially lead to the hacker selling it to rivals or competitors, compiling versions infected with malware, or accessing personal details from users' machines [11386]. Additionally, the incident raised concerns about the security of VMWare's systems and widened the potential targets to include commercial partners [11386].
Domain other (a) The software failure incident involving VMWare and the theft of its source code does not directly relate to the production and distribution of information industry. (b) The incident does not directly relate to the transportation industry. (c) The incident does not directly relate to the natural resources industry. (d) The incident does not directly relate to the sales industry. (e) The incident does not directly relate to the construction industry. (f) The incident does not directly relate to the manufacturing industry. (g) The incident does not directly relate to the utilities industry. (h) The incident does not directly relate to the finance industry. (i) The incident does not directly relate to the knowledge industry. (j) The incident does not directly relate to the health industry. (k) The incident does not directly relate to the entertainment industry. (l) The incident does not directly relate to the government industry. (m) The software failure incident involving VMWare and the theft of its source code is related to the software industry, specifically the virtualization software industry, as VMWare provides software that enables running multiple operating systems or environments on the same computer [11386].

Sources

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