Incident: NSA Software Implant DROPOUTJEEP Enables iPhone Spying Incident

Published Date: 2014-01-01

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident involving the NSA's development of software to spy on iPhones, as reported by Der Spiegel and security expert Jacob Appelbaum, happened around 2008 [23507].
System The software failure incident reported in the articles involved the following systems and components: 1. iPhone by Apple - The NSA developed software, including DROPOUTJEEP, to remotely access iPhones and extract various data from them [23507]. 2. iOS devices - The NSA's trojan program allowed the intelligence agency to read text messages and listen to voicemails on iOS devices [23507]. 3. Computer monitor cables - ANT produced tools, such as rigged monitor cables, to record what is being displayed on targeted monitors [23507]. 4. USB plugs - Computer bugging devices disguised as normal USB plugs were used to send and receive data undetected via radio link [23507]. 5. GSM base stations - The NSA used active GSM base stations to mimic cell phone towers and monitor mobile phones, including those of high-profile individuals like German Chancellor Angela Merkel [23507]. 6. Radar systems like DROPMIRE - Radar systems were used to spy on allies, such as EU representatives in Washington [23507]. 7. Hardware 'implants' - ANT catalog included hardware implants used to tap encrypted faxes and gain access to various devices [23507].
Responsible Organization 1. The National Security Agency (NSA) was responsible for causing the software failure incident by developing software that enabled it to spy on iPhones [23507].
Impacted Organization 1. iPhone users were impacted by the software failure incident as the NSA developed software to spy on iPhones, including accessing text messages, photographs, contacts, location, voicemail, and video [23507].
Software Causes 1. The software cause of the failure incident was the development of a system by the NSA called DROPOUTJEEP, described as a 'software implant' that allowed infiltrators to remotely access iPhones and retrieve data such as contact lists, text messages, photographs, location, voice mail, and video [23507]. 2. The failure incident was also attributed to the NSA's trojan program that allowed the intelligence agency to read text messages and listen to voicemails on iOS devices, with a reported 100 percent success rate [23507]. 3. The failure incident involved the NSA's development of malicious software to plant onto Apple's iPhone, giving American intelligence agents the ability to turn the smartphone into a pocket-sized spy device [23507].
Non-software Causes 1. Hardware vulnerabilities exploited by the NSA, such as computer monitor cables modified to record screen activity and USB plugs disguised as bugging devices [23507].
Impacts 1. The software failure incident involving the NSA's development of software to spy on iPhones had significant impacts on Apple, as it led to allegations of potential vulnerabilities in Apple products and accusations of collusion with the NSA [23507]. 2. The incident could potentially damage Apple's business deals, such as the deal to sell iPhones on China Mobile's network, as any suggestion of vulnerability to government surveillance could harm consumer trust [23507]. 3. The revelations about the NSA's capabilities, including turning iPhones into eavesdropping tools, could have broader implications for user privacy and security, raising concerns about the extent of government surveillance and potential breaches of privacy [23507].
Preventions 1. Implementing robust security measures within the software to prevent unauthorized access and exploitation [23507]. 2. Conducting regular security audits and assessments to identify and address potential vulnerabilities [23507]. 3. Ensuring strong encryption protocols are in place to protect user data and communications [23507]. 4. Collaborating with cybersecurity experts to stay ahead of emerging threats and security risks [23507]. 5. Enhancing user privacy controls and transparency regarding data collection and usage practices [23507].
Fixes 1. Enhancing security measures within the iPhone operating system to prevent unauthorized access and spying attempts [23507]. 2. Conducting a thorough review of the iPhone software to identify and patch any potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by spy programs like DROPOUTJEEP [23507]. 3. Implementing stricter controls and oversight on software development processes to ensure that no backdoors or vulnerabilities are intentionally introduced into Apple products [23507]. 4. Collaborating with cybersecurity experts to continuously assess and improve the security of Apple products, particularly in light of advanced spying techniques revealed by security experts like Jacob Appelbaum [23507].
References 1. Der Spiegel magazine [23507] 2. Security expert Jacob Appelbaum [23507]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring unknown The articles do not provide information about a software failure incident happening again at the same organization or at multiple organizations. Therefore, the answer to the question is 'unknown'.
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the development of software by the NSA to remotely access iPhones and gather various types of data. The NSA produced software, such as DROPOUTJEEP, described as a 'software implant' that allowed infiltrators to push and pull data from iPhones [23507]. This indicates a failure in the design phase where the software was created to enable unauthorized access to iPhones. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can be observed in the misuse of the software by the NSA to spy on iPhones. The NSA actively worked on software that enabled it to remotely access iPhones and gather data like text messages, photographs, contacts, location, voice mail, and video [23507]. This misuse of the software for spying purposes demonstrates a failure in the operation phase where the software was used inappropriately.
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident reported in the articles is related to the development of software by the National Security Agency (NSA) that enabled spying on iPhones. The NSA produced software, such as DROPOUTJEEP, described as a 'software implant' that allowed infiltrators to access iPhones remotely and retrieve various data from them [23507]. This software implant was essentially a trojan or malware that helped hackers gain access to protected systems. The software failure incident, in this case, originated from within the system, specifically from the NSA's development of spyware to target iPhones.
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident related to non-human actions is the development of software by the NSA that enabled spying on iPhones, as reported by Der Spiegel [23507]. The NSA produced software like DROPOUTJEEP, described as a 'software implant' that allowed remote access to iPhones for spying purposes. This software implant was designed to push and pull data from iPhones, including text messages, photographs, contacts, location, voicemail, and video, without human intervention. (b) The software failure incident related to human actions involves the allegations and denials of collusion between Apple and the NSA in creating a backdoor spying program for iPhones [23507]. Apple strenuously denied any involvement in deliberately weakening its products for the NSA's spying efforts. The controversy arose from reports suggesting that the NSA actively worked on software to remotely access iPhones for monitoring purposes, leading to concerns about potential vulnerabilities introduced by human actions.
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 the articles is related to software. The National Security Agency (NSA) developed software, such as DROPOUTJEEP, described as a 'software implant' that allowed infiltrators to remotely access iPhones and retrieve data from them [23507]. The software enabled the NSA to spy on iPhones, including accessing text messages, photographs, contacts, location, voicemail, and video. Additionally, the software could turn iPhones into eavesdropping devices, indicating a failure in the software's security measures. Apple denied any collaboration with the NSA to weaken its products and emphasized its commitment to defending customers from security attacks [23507].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The objective of the software failure incident was malicious, as it involved the National Security Agency (NSA) developing software to remotely access iPhones and spy on users' text messages, photographs, contacts, location, voicemail, and video. The NSA's program, known as DROPOUTJEEP, was described as a 'trojan' or malware that allowed infiltrators to retrieve data from iPhones [23507]. Additionally, journalist and security expert Jacob Appelbaum revealed how the NSA had the technology to turn iPhones into eavesdropping tools, showcasing the agency's capabilities to plant malicious software on Apple devices for spying purposes [23507]. The NSA's elite team of hackers, known as Tailored Access Operations (TAO), developed tools to penetrate network equipment, monitor mobile phones, and modify data, indicating a deliberate effort to compromise the security and privacy of targeted devices [23507].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions (a) The intent of the software failure incident: - The software failure incident reported in the articles is related to poor_decisions. This is evident from the allegations and revelations that the National Security Agency (NSA) developed software, such as DROPOUTJEEP, to remotely access iPhones and spy on users' data without their consent [23507]. - Apple denied any collusion with the NSA in creating backdoors or weakening its products intentionally, emphasizing its commitment to defending customers from security attacks regardless of the source [23507].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence, unknown (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article. The National Security Agency (NSA) developed software, such as DROPOUTJEEP, described as a 'software implant' that allowed infiltrators to access iPhones and retrieve data [23507]. This development of software by the NSA to remotely access iPhones and gather various types of data indicates a lack of professional competence in terms of ethical software development practices. (b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is not explicitly mentioned in the provided articles.
Duration permanent (a) The software failure incident described in the articles appears to be permanent. The incident involves the NSA developing software, such as DROPOUTJEEP, to remotely access iPhones and monitor various data on the devices [23507]. This software implant or trojan was designed to allow infiltrators to push and pull data from iPhones, indicating a deliberate weakening of the products for spying purposes. The NSA's capabilities to turn iPhones into eavesdropping tools and the existence of backdoors in iOS devices suggest a long-term and ongoing software vulnerability that could compromise user privacy and security. The incident is not described as a one-time or temporary issue but rather as a systematic effort by the NSA to exploit software weaknesses for surveillance purposes.
Behaviour value, other (a) crash: The articles do not mention any specific instance of a crash where the system loses state and does not perform its intended functions. (b) omission: The articles do not provide information about the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). (c) timing: The articles do not mention any failure due to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. (d) value: The software failure incident described in the articles is related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The National Security Agency (NSA) developed software, such as DROPOUTJEEP, to remotely access iPhones and extract various data from them, including text messages, photographs, contacts, location, voicemail, and video [23507]. (e) byzantine: The articles do not describe the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. (f) other: The software failure incident described in the articles involves the system being targeted by the NSA for the development of software implants like DROPOUTJEEP, which allowed infiltrators to access and retrieve data from iPhones. This behavior can be categorized as a security breach or unauthorized access to user data [23507].

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 (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure The software failure incident described in the articles pertains to the NSA's development of software tools and techniques to infiltrate and monitor various devices, including iPhones. The NSA's Tailored Access Operations (TAO) division developed tools such as computer monitor cables modified to record screen activity, USB sticks with radio transmitters for data broadcasting, and fake base stations for intercepting mobile phone signals. These tools were used to gather intelligence and monitor communications, potentially impacting individuals' data security and privacy [23507].
Domain information, government (a) The failed system in the software failure incident was related to the industry of information, specifically concerning the production and distribution of information. The incident involved the National Security Agency (NSA) producing software to spy on iPhones, enabling remote access to various data on the devices, such as text messages, photographs, contacts, location, voicemail, and video [23507]. The software implant developed by the NSA, known as DROPOUTJEEP, was described as a 'trojan' or malware that allowed infiltrators to retrieve data from iPhones [23507]. (b) Not mentioned in the articles. (c) Not mentioned in the articles. (d) Not mentioned in the articles. (e) Not mentioned in the articles. (f) Not mentioned in the articles. (g) Not mentioned in the articles. (h) Not mentioned in the articles. (i) Not mentioned in the articles. (j) Not mentioned in the articles. (k) Not mentioned in the articles. (l) The failed system was indirectly related to the government industry as it involved the NSA, a government agency, developing software to spy on iPhones and gather information from the devices [23507]. (m) Not mentioned in the articles.

Sources

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