| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the FBI's malware, CIPAV, targeting Tor users through a Firefox vulnerability is an example of a software failure incident happening again within the same organization (FBI). The FBI has been using the CIPAV spyware since 2002 against various targets, primarily to identify suspects using anonymity services like Tor [20888].
(b) The incident involving the FBI's malware targeting Tor users through a Firefox vulnerability can also be seen as a software failure incident happening at multiple organizations. This is because the malware was deployed on websites hosted by Freedom Hosting, an anonymous hosting company known for allowing child pornography on its servers. The incident also involved the technology contractor SAIC, which is a major contractor for defense and intelligence agencies, including the FBI [20888]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design |
(a) The software failure incident in the articles can be attributed to the design phase. The incident involved malicious software exploiting a Firefox security vulnerability to identify users of the Tor anonymity network. The malware targeted a specific version of Firefox that formed the basis of the Tor Browser Bundle, indicating a targeted design to attack the Tor browser specifically [20888]. Additionally, the malware payload was designed to gather information from the target's machine and send it to an FBI server in Virginia, showcasing a deliberate design to identify users rather than conduct secondary malicious activities [20888].
(b) The software failure incident does not appear to be directly related to the operation phase or misuse of the system. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident described in the articles is primarily within the system. The malicious software, known as Magneto, exploited a critical memory management vulnerability in Firefox, specifically targeting Firefox 17 ESR, which is the version forming the basis of the Tor Browser Bundle. The malware payload was designed to attack the Tor browser by identifying the target and sending identifying information to an FBI server in Virginia. The malware did not download a backdoor or conduct any secondary activity, indicating a specific focus on identifying users rather than causing further harm [20888].
(b) outside_system: The contributing factors that originate from outside the system in this software failure incident are related to the FBI's involvement. The malware is suspected to be the FBI's "computer and internet protocol address verifier" (CIPAV), a spyware used by the FBI since 2002 to gather information from targets' machines and send it to an FBI server in Virginia. The FBI's role in deploying this malware to identify users of the Tor anonymity network is a significant external factor contributing to the software failure incident [20888]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is primarily due to non-human actions. The incident involved the deployment of malicious software that exploited a Firefox vulnerability to identify users of the Tor anonymity network. The malware was designed to gather information from the target's machine and send it to an FBI server in Virginia. The malware payload did not download a backdoor or conduct any secondary activity, indicating that its purpose was solely to identify the target [20888].
(b) However, human actions were also involved in this incident. The FBI was suspected to be behind the deployment of the malware, as the code used in the attack was identified as the FBI's "computer and internet protocol address verifier" (CIPAV). The FBI has been using the CIPAV since 2002 against various targets. Additionally, the arrest of Eric Eoin Marques in Ireland on a U.S. extradition request coincided with the deployment of the malware on Freedom Hosting's websites [20888]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The malware identified in the incident exploited a critical memory management vulnerability in Firefox, which is a software vulnerability. However, the malware's payload specifically targeted the victim's MAC address, which is a unique hardware identifier for the computer's network or Wi-Fi card, and the victim's Windows hostname. This hardware-related information was then sent to a server in Virginia to expose the user's real IP address [20888].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The incident involved the exploitation of a critical memory management vulnerability in Firefox, which is a software vulnerability. The malware identified in the incident was designed specifically to attack the Tor browser, indicating a software-related attack [20888]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles is malicious in nature. The incident involved the deployment of malicious software by the FBI to identify users of the Tor anonymity network, specifically targeting the Tor Browser Bundle. The malware exploited a critical memory management vulnerability in Firefox to gather information from the target's machine and send it to an FBI server in Virginia. The malware's objective was to expose the user's real IP address by collecting the MAC address, Windows hostname, and a serial number tied to the user's visit to the hacked Freedom Hosting-hosted website. The malware was designed to identify targets without downloading a backdoor or conducting any secondary activity, indicating a specific focus on identification rather than traditional malicious activities like stealing passwords or creating botnets [20888]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident:
- The software failure incident described in the articles appears to be related to poor_decisions. The FBI is suspected of deploying malicious software, known as CIPAV, to gather information from targets' machines and send it to an FBI server in Virginia. This software was used against hackers, online sexual predators, and others to identify suspects disguising their location using proxy servers or anonymity services like Tor [20888].
(b) The intent of the software failure incident:
- The software failure incident could also be attributed to accidental_decisions. The malware deployed by the FBI to target users of the Tor anonymity network was designed specifically to identify the targets and did not download any backdoor or conduct secondary activities. This suggests a limited purpose of identifying users rather than engaging in more malicious activities typically associated with malware [20888]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident in the provided article can be attributed to development incompetence. The incident involved the deployment of malicious software by the FBI to target users of the Tor anonymity network. The malware exploited a Firefox vulnerability to gather information from the target's machine and send it to an FBI server in Virginia. The malware was specifically designed to attack the Tor browser, and it was noted that the attackers spent a reasonable amount of time writing a reliable exploit and a fairly customized payload [20888].
(b) The software failure incident can also be considered accidental to some extent. The malware payload identified as "Magneto" was designed to only identify the target by sending the victim's MAC address, Windows hostname, and a serial number to the Virginia server. The malware did not download a backdoor or conduct any secondary activity, which is unusual for traditional malware behavior. This accidental aspect is highlighted by the fact that the malware did not perform typical malicious activities like downloading and installing a backdoor for further exploitation [20888]. |
| Duration |
permanent |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles is more of a permanent nature. The malware identified in the incident was specifically designed to exploit a critical memory management vulnerability in Firefox, targeting a specific version (Firefox 17 ESR) that formed the basis of the Tor Browser Bundle. This targeted attack indicates a deliberate and persistent effort to compromise the security and anonymity of users utilizing the Tor network [20888]. Additionally, the malware payload was designed to identify the target by sending identifying information to an FBI server in Virginia, exposing the user's real IP address. The malware did not download a backdoor or conduct any secondary activity, indicating a focused intent to gather specific information rather than engage in broader malicious activities [20888]. |
| Behaviour |
other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident described in the articles does not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. The malware identified in the incident specifically targets and gathers information from the target's machine, sending it to an FBI server in Virginia [20888].
(b) omission: The incident does not involve a failure due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). The malware in question is designed to identify the target by gathering specific information from the victim's computer and sending it to a server outside of Tor [20888].
(c) timing: The failure is not related to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The malware identified in the incident is designed to gather information from the target's machine and send it to an FBI server in Virginia, indicating a deliberate and timely action [20888].
(d) value: The software failure incident does not involve a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The malware identified in the incident is specifically designed to gather information from the target's machine and send it to an FBI server in Virginia, indicating a specific purpose [20888].
(e) byzantine: The incident does not involve a failure due to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The malware identified in the incident has a specific function of gathering information from the target's machine and sending it to an FBI server in Virginia, showing a consistent behavior [20888].
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be categorized as a deliberate and targeted action by the FBI to identify users of the Tor anonymity network by exploiting a Firefox security vulnerability. The malware specifically gathers information from the target's machine and sends it to an FBI server in Virginia, indicating a focused and intentional behavior [20888]. |