| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization:
The incident at Citroën involving a hack on their German website is linked to a prolific hacker gang that has breached numerous companies by exploiting Adobe software. This same group was responsible for breaching several other sites, including Adobe, PR Newswire, and the National White Collar Crime Center [25042].
(b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization:
The hacker group responsible for the Citroën breach has targeted various organizations by scanning the internet for weaknesses in the Adobe ColdFusion web application platform. This indicates that multiple organizations using ColdFusion may have been at risk of similar attacks [25042]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be attributed to the exploitation of vulnerabilities in the Adobe ColdFusion web application platform. The hackers targeted weaknesses in ColdFusion across the internet, looking specifically for exploits to breach various sites, including Citroën's German website [25042].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase involved the misuse of the system by hackers who managed to embed a backdoor on Citroën's fan site, allowing them to bypass normal authentication systems and potentially access all information on the server. This breach led to the theft of customer data, prompting Citroën to advise customers to check their bank accounts for any suspicious transfers [25042]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident involving Citroën's German website being hacked and compromised was primarily due to contributing factors that originated from within the system. The hackers exploited vulnerabilities in the web application platform ColdFusion, which was being used by the website. The backdoor that was inserted allowed the attackers to gain full command line and SQL database access, potentially compromising all the information on the server [25042]. Additionally, the incident led to the resetting of passwords and the need to update exploitable software to patch the vulnerabilities within the system.
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident also involved contributing factors that originated from outside the system. The breach occurred through a third-party supplier, as Citroën had contracted a web design company, anyMotion, to run its main German website and the affected fan site. The compromised fan site was managed by this third-party supplier, highlighting the risks associated with third-party connections and the need for companies to ensure that their external partners maintain adequate security measures [25042]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the Citroën hack was primarily due to non-human actions. The hackers exploited vulnerabilities in the Adobe ColdFusion web application platform to insert a backdoor into Citroën's German website [25042]. This backdoor allowed the attackers to bypass normal authentication systems and potentially access and steal data from the server. The backdoor provided full command line and SQL database access, giving the hackers extensive control over the web server [25042].
(b) Human actions also played a role in the software failure incident. The breach occurred because Citroën had contracted a web design company, anyMotion, to run its main German website and the affected fan site. The responsibility for running the site was outsourced to this third-party supplier, highlighting the risks associated with third-party connections. Rocco Grillo from Protiviti emphasized the importance of owning the risk associated with third-party suppliers and ensuring they have adequate security controls in place [25042]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident did not occur due to hardware issues mentioned in the articles.
(b) The software failure incident was primarily due to contributing factors originating in software. The hackers exploited weaknesses in the web application platform ColdFusion from Adobe to breach Citroën's website. The backdoor embedded on the site provided full command line and SQL database access, allowing the attackers to potentially access all information on the server [25042]. The incident highlighted the importance of updating exploitable software like ColdFusion to prevent such breaches in the future. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Citroën website being hacked and customer data being stolen is malicious in nature. The hackers exploited vulnerabilities in the Adobe ColdFusion platform to insert a backdoor into the Citroën website, allowing them to bypass authentication systems and potentially access all information on the server [25042]. The attackers targeted weaknesses in the web application platform and were part of a prolific hacker gang responsible for breaching other companies like Adobe, PR Newswire, and the National White Collar Crime Center [25042].
(b) The incident was not non-malicious as it involved intentional actions by the hackers to breach the website, steal customer data, and potentially cause harm to both Citroën and its customers. The breach highlighted the risks associated with third-party suppliers and the importance of maintaining security controls even when outsourcing functions [25042]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident was not due to poor decisions but rather due to the actions of a prolific hacker gang exploiting vulnerabilities in Adobe software to breach Citroën's website [25042]. The hackers targeted weaknesses in the web application platform ColdFusion from Adobe, indicating a deliberate and strategic effort to exploit known vulnerabilities for unauthorized access to Citroën's server. The breach was not a result of poor decisions made by Citroën but rather a targeted attack by external malicious actors. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as the hackers exploited vulnerabilities in the Adobe ColdFusion platform, which was not properly secured by Citroën's contracted web design company anyMotion. The hackers targeted weaknesses in the ColdFusion platform, indicating a lack of professional competence in securing the web application [25042].
(b) The accidental aspect of the software failure incident is highlighted by the inadvertent exposure of customer data due to the backdoor embedded on the Citroën website. The breach was not intentional on the part of Citroën but resulted from the exploitation of vulnerabilities by the hackers, leading to the accidental compromise of customer information [25042]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident involving Citroën's German website being hacked and a backdoor being embedded can be considered a temporary failure. The backdoor was discovered and removed after being live since at least August 2013 [25042]. This indicates that the failure was due to specific circumstances, such as the exploitation of vulnerabilities in the Adobe ColdFusion platform, rather than a permanent failure that would persist regardless of external factors. |
| Behaviour |
omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The incident involving Citroën's German website being hacked did not result in a crash of the system losing state and not performing any of its intended functions. The hackers embedded a backdoor into the website, allowing them unauthorized access to the server and potentially stealing customer data [25042].
(b) omission: The software failure incident did involve omission as the system omitted to perform its intended functions at an instance(s) by allowing the hackers to embed a backdoor into the website, bypassing normal authentication systems, and potentially stealing customer data [25042].
(c) timing: The incident did not involve a timing failure where the system performed its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The focus was on the unauthorized access and potential data theft due to the backdoor embedded in the website [25042].
(d) value: The software failure incident did involve a value failure where the system performed its intended functions incorrectly. The hackers were able to access the server, potentially stealing customer data, including shopping bags, shipping addresses, and other information stored on the compromised server [25042].
(e) byzantine: The incident did not involve a byzantine failure where the system behaved erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The primary concern was the unauthorized access and potential data theft facilitated by the backdoor in the website [25042].
(f) other: The other behavior observed in this software failure incident was the exploitation of vulnerabilities in the Adobe ColdFusion web application platform by the hackers. They specifically targeted weaknesses in ColdFusion to carry out their attacks on various websites, including Citroën's German website [25042]. |