Incident: Data Breach at Security Think Tank Stratfor by 'Anonymous' Hackers

Published Date: 2011-12-25

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident involving the hacking of Stratfor Global Intelligence Service's website and stealing client information, emails, and credit card details by Anonymous hackers happened in December 2011 [Article 54456]. 2. The software failure incident where 'Anonymous' hackers brought down Mastercard and Paypal websites in a protest against Wikileaks occurred between August 1, 2010, and January 27, 2011 [Article 16059].
System 1. Database security system of Stratfor [54631] 2. Encryption system of credit card details at Stratfor [54631] 3. Web servers of PayPal and Mastercard [16059]
Responsible Organization 1. 'Anonymous' hacking group [54631, 54456] 2. Christopher Weatherhead and his co-conspirators [16059]
Impacted Organization 1. U.S.-based security think tank Stratfor [54631, 54456] 2. Online military and law enforcement supply store [54631]
Software Causes 1. Lack of encryption of credit card details by Stratfor, making it easy for hackers to obtain the information [54631, 54456]
Non-software Causes 1. Lack of encryption of credit card details by the targeted organizations [54631, 54456] 2. Failure to prevent distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on the websites [16059]
Impacts 1. Thousands of credit card numbers and personal information were hacked from the security firm Stratfor, leading to unauthorized transactions and potential financial losses for the victims [54631]. 2. The hacked information included 2.7 million emails, 4,000 credit card numbers, passwords, and home addresses of clients ranging from Apple Inc. to the U.S. Air Force to the Miami Police Department [54631]. 3. The security breach resulted in the exposure of confidential client lists, credit card details, and other sensitive information, causing embarrassment for the security-related company Stratfor [54631]. 4. The attack led to the shutdown and maintenance of Stratfor's website, impacting its operations and potentially damaging its reputation [54631]. 5. The breach highlighted vulnerabilities in database security, as the hackers claimed that Stratfor had failed to encrypt the credit card details, making it easier for them to obtain sensitive information [54631]. 6. The incident raised concerns about the security of individual employees who had subscribed to Stratfor's services, potentially putting their personal information at risk [54631]. 7. The attack on Stratfor was part of a larger campaign by the hacking group Anonymous, targeting various organizations and individuals, including government agencies, military entities, and law enforcement [54631]. 8. The breach was part of a series of cyberattacks orchestrated by Anonymous, demonstrating the ongoing threat of hacking and data breaches in the digital landscape [54631]. 9. The incident resulted in financial losses for organizations like PayPal, Mastercard, and recording industry bodies, with PayPal alone suffering losses of £3.5 million [16059]. 10. The attack on Mastercard and PayPal websites disrupted their operations and prevented customers from making transactions, impacting their services and potentially damaging their reputation [16059].
Preventions 1. Encrypting sensitive data such as credit card details could have prevented the software failure incident [54631, 54456]. 2. Implementing robust database security measures could have helped prevent the breach [54631]. 3. Regularly updating and patching software vulnerabilities could have reduced the risk of a successful attack [54631]. 4. Enhancing network security protocols and monitoring for unusual activities could have detected the intrusion earlier [54631]. 5. Conducting thorough security audits and assessments to identify and address potential weaknesses in the system could have prevented the incident [54631].
Fixes 1. Implementing robust encryption protocols for sensitive data such as credit card details to prevent unauthorized access [54631, 54456]. 2. Enhancing database security measures to protect against hacking attempts and unauthorized breaches [54631]. 3. Conducting regular security audits and assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities in the system [54631]. 4. Educating employees and staff members on cybersecurity best practices to prevent social engineering attacks and unauthorized access [54631]. 5. Collaborating with law enforcement agencies and cybersecurity experts to investigate and track down the perpetrators of the attack [54631]. 6. Enhancing incident response and crisis management protocols to mitigate the impact of future security breaches [54631]. 7. Implementing multi-factor authentication mechanisms to add an extra layer of security for accessing sensitive information [54631].
References 1. Stratfor Global Intelligence Service [54631, 54456] 2. Anonymous hacking group [54631, 54456] 3. Victims of the credit card theft [54631] 4. Law enforcement agencies [54631] 5. FBI [54631] 6. American Red Cross [54631] 7. Individuals affected by the credit card theft [54631] 8. Security experts [54631] 9. Air Force [54631] 10. Miami Police Department [54631] 11. Texas Department of Banking [54631] 12. Homeland Security employee [54631] 13. National Cyber Security Task Force [54456]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization: - The incident involving hacking and stealing of sensitive information, including credit card details, happened at Stratfor, a security think tank [54631]. - Anonymous hackers targeted Stratfor, stole confidential client lists, credit card numbers, passwords, and home addresses [54631]. - The hackers mentioned that the attack on Stratfor was just the beginning of their holiday hacking spree [54631]. - The incident at Stratfor was part of a series of breaches seen in the past years [54631]. (b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization: - The incident involving hacking and stealing of sensitive information, including credit card details, has been part of a series of breaches targeting various organizations [54631]. - Anonymous hackers have targeted other organizations in the past, such as Mastercard, Visa, PayPal, Church of Scientology, Motion Picture Association of America, and the Zetas crime syndicate [54456]. - The hackers have conducted attacks on diverse groups and entities, indicating a pattern of targeting multiple organizations [54456].
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in Article 54631, where the hacking group 'Anonymous' was able to steal credit card details from the security firm Stratfor due to a major oversight in the design of their system. The hackers mentioned that Stratfor didn't bother encrypting the credit card details, which made it easy for them to obtain this sensitive information. This lack of encryption was highlighted as a significant blunder for a security-related company [54631]. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can be observed in Article 16059, where the computer hacking gang, acting on behalf of 'Anonymous', brought down websites belonging to PayPal and Mastercard by flooding them with messages and requests. This operation-based attack disrupted the normal functioning of these websites, causing significant financial losses [16059].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system, outside_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident reported in the articles is primarily due to contributing factors that originate from within the system. In the case of the hack on Stratfor by the group 'Anonymous' [54631], the hackers were able to obtain credit card details, passwords, and other personal information because Stratfor allegedly failed to encrypt them, which is considered a blunder on the part of the security-related company. The hackers mentioned that Stratfor was "clueless" when it came to database security, indicating an internal vulnerability within the system. (b) outside_system: The software failure incident can also be attributed to contributing factors that originate from outside the system. In the case of the hack on Stratfor by 'Anonymous' [54631], the hackers, who are external entities, were able to breach the system, steal confidential information, and carry out unauthorized transactions using the credit card details they obtained. Additionally, the hackers targeted various organizations and individuals outside of Stratfor, indicating an external threat to the system's security.
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - Article 54631 reports on a software failure incident where the hacking group 'Anonymous' targeted the security firm Stratfor, hacked their systems, and stole thousands of credit card numbers, passwords, and personal information without human participation in introducing these contributing factors [54631]. - The incident involved the hackers exploiting vulnerabilities in Stratfor's systems, particularly the lack of encryption of credit card details, which allowed them to easily access and steal sensitive information [54631]. - The hackers claimed to have obtained the credit card details because of Stratfor's failure to encrypt them, highlighting a non-human action as a contributing factor to the software failure incident [54631]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - Article 16059 discusses a software failure incident where a computer hacking gang, acting on behalf of the 'Anonymous' protest group, brought down websites belonging to PayPal and Mastercard through distributed denial of services (DDoS) attacks, which were introduced by human actions [16059]. - The group targeted firms that refused to process payments to Julian Assange's Wikileaks organization, leading to significant financial losses for companies like PayPal [16059]. - The hackers, including individuals like Christopher Weatherhead, discussed and planned the attacks, demonstrating human actions as contributing factors to the software failure incident [16059].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) software (a) The articles do not provide information about a software failure incident occurring due to contributing factors originating in hardware. (b) The software failure incident reported in Article 54631 was due to contributing factors originating in software. The incident involved the hacking of thousands of credit card numbers and personal information from the security firm Stratfor by the hacking group 'Anonymous'. The hackers were able to steal confidential client lists, credit card numbers, passwords, and home addresses due to Stratfor's failure to encrypt the data, which was a major embarrassment for a security-related company [54631]. Additionally, the incident involved the hacking of the website of the research group Stratfor by hackers claiming to be members of the collective known as Anonymous, resulting in the theft of client lists, emails, and credit card information [54456].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The objective of the software failure incident was malicious in both Article 54631 and Article 54456. In Article 54631, the hacking group 'Anonymous' targeted the security firm Stratfor with the intent to steal confidential information, including credit card details, and to donate money to charity using the stolen funds [54631]. Similarly, in Article 54456, hackers claiming to be part of Anonymous attacked the United States research group Stratfor Global Intelligence Service to steal client information, emails, and credit card details for the purpose of donating $1 million to charity [54456]. The attacks were carried out with the intention to cause harm and disrupt the targeted organizations. (b) The software failure incidents were not non-malicious as they were deliberate actions by hackers with the specific goal of compromising the security of the targeted systems and extracting sensitive information for malicious purposes.
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions, accidental_decisions (a) The intent of the software failure incident: - The software failure incident in Article 54631 was due to poor decisions made by the targeted organizations. The hackers, identified as 'Anonymous', were able to hack into the systems of security firm Stratfor and an online military supply store due to poor decisions related to database security and encryption. The hackers mentioned that they were able to obtain credit card details because Stratfor didn't bother encrypting them, which was described as an easy-to-avoid blunder [54631]. - In Article 16059, the software failure incident was also driven by poor decisions made by the targeted companies. The computer hacking gang, acting on behalf of the 'Anonymous' protest group, brought down websites belonging to PayPal and Mastercard by flooding them with messages and requests. The gang targeted firms that refused to process payments to Julian Assange's Wikileaks organization, leading to significant financial losses for PayPal and other companies [16059]. (b) The intent of the software failure incident: - The software failure incidents in both articles were also influenced by accidental decisions or unintended consequences. In Article 54631, the hackers claimed that the attack on Stratfor was just the beginning of a Christmas-inspired assault on a long list of targets. The hackers mentioned that the breach was conducted in retaliation for the arrest and imprisonment of Pfc. Bradley Manning, the Army intelligence analyst on trial for leaking classified intelligence information and diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks [54631]. - Similarly, in Article 16059, the hacking gang targeted companies like PayPal and Mastercard as part of the 'Operation Payback' campaign, initially focusing on music industry bodies and later shifting to firms that refused to process payments to Wikileaks. The actions of the hackers were driven by a desire to avenge anti-piracy stances and to support free speech, as mentioned in the 'press releases' posted by Anonymous [16059].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence (a) The software failure incident occurring due to development incompetence: - Article 54631 reports on a software failure incident where the hacking group 'Anonymous' targeted the security firm Stratfor and successfully hacked into their systems, stealing thousands of credit card numbers and personal information. The hackers criticized Stratfor for being 'clueless' about database security and mentioned that the credit card details were obtained because Stratfor failed to encrypt them, which is considered a major blunder for a security-related company [54631]. (b) The software failure incident occurring accidentally: - Article 16059 describes a software failure incident where a computer hacking gang, acting on behalf of the 'Anonymous' protest group, brought down websites belonging to PayPal and Mastercard by flooding them with messages and requests under the banner 'Operation Payback'. The gang discussed hacking pop star Lily Allen's website in revenge for her stance on anti-piracy. The group targeted firms that refused to process payments to Julian Assange's Wikileaks organization, leading to losses for PayPal and other companies [16059].
Duration temporary (a) The software failure incident reported in the articles was temporary. The incidents described in the articles involve hacking activities by the group known as 'Anonymous' targeting organizations like Stratfor, Mastercard, and PayPal. These incidents resulted in websites being taken offline, data being stolen, and disruptions caused to the operations of the affected companies. The attacks were carried out as part of planned operations by the hackers, and the disruptions were not permanent but rather caused by specific actions taken by the hackers [54631, 16059, 54456].
Behaviour crash, omission, value (a) crash: The software failure incident described in Article 54631 involved a crash as the hackers managed to crash the website of the security firm Stratfor by hacking into it and stealing sensitive information like credit card numbers and personal details [54631]. (b) omission: The software failure incident in Article 16059 involved omission as the hackers targeted websites like PayPal and Mastercard, causing them to lose millions by flooding them with messages and requests, thus omitting the normal functioning of these websites [16059]. (c) timing: The software failure incident in Article 54456 did not involve a timing failure as the hackers successfully breached the security of the Stratfor website and stole sensitive information without any mention of timing issues [54456]. (d) value: The software failure incident in Article 54631 involved a value failure as the hackers managed to obtain credit card details and other personal information from Stratfor's clients, which was a clear case of the system performing its intended functions incorrectly by allowing unauthorized access to sensitive data [54631]. (e) byzantine: The software failure incidents in the provided articles did not exhibit a byzantine behavior where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. (f) other: The software failure incidents in the articles did not exhibit any other specific behavior beyond crash, omission, and value failures.

IoT System Layer

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

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence property (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure - Article 54631: The software failure incident involved the hacking of thousands of credit card numbers and personal information belonging to clients of the security think tank Stratfor. Victims confirmed unauthorized transactions linked to their credit cards, and the hackers stole confidential client lists, credit card numbers, passwords, and home addresses [54631]. - Article 16059: The software failure incident involved a computer hacking gang, part of the 'Anonymous' protest group, bringing down websites belonging to PayPal and Mastercard, causing significant financial losses. PayPal alone suffered losses of £3.5 million, and Mastercard websites were taken offline [16059].
Domain information, finance, other (a) The failed system was related to the industry of information, specifically intelligence and security analysis provided by the company Stratfor. The system was intended to support the production and distribution of information related to political, economic, and military analysis to help clients reduce risk [Article 54631, Article 54456]. (h) The failed system was also related to the finance industry as the company Stratfor charged subscribers for its reports and analysis, and the hackers were able to obtain credit card details from the system [Article 54631, Article 54456]. (m) The failed system could also be categorized under the "other" industry as it was related to a security think tank providing intelligence and analysis services, which does not fit directly into the options provided [Article 54631, Article 54456].

Sources

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