Published Date: 2014-03-16
| Postmortem Analysis | |
|---|---|
| Timeline | 1. The software failure incident involving the reliance on Windows XP by the Manchester police force happened in July 2017 as reported in Article 63254. 2. The software failure incident regarding the NHS trusts running Windows XP during the WannaCry ransomware attack occurred in May 2017 as reported in Article 59271. |
| System | 1. Windows XP operating system [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298] |
| Responsible Organization | 1. Greater Manchester Police [63254] 2. National Health Service (NHS) [63254] 3. Government Digital Service [36094] 4. Microsoft [25272, 61298] |
| Impacted Organization | 1. Greater Manchester Police [63254] 2. National Health Service (NHS) [63254, 59271] 3. London's Metropolitan Police Service [63254] 4. Cleveland Police [63254] 5. Police Service of Northern Ireland [63254] 6. Civil Nuclear Constabulary [63254] 7. Gwent Police [63254] 8. North Wales Police [63254] 9. Lancashire Constabulary [63254] 10. Wiltshire Police [63254] 11. City of London Police [63254] 12. Police Scotland [63254] 13. Cumbria Police [63254] 14. Government Digital Service [36094] 15. Department of Homeland Security [25272] 16. State Department [25272] 17. Department of Veterans Affairs [25272] 18. Defense Department [25272] |
| Software Causes | 1. The software cause of the failure incident was the continued use of Windows XP by Greater Manchester Police and other police forces, despite Microsoft ending support for the operating system in 2014 [63254]. 2. The software cause of the failure incident was the widespread use of Windows XP in the UK's National Health Service (NHS), leaving systems vulnerable to the Wannacry ransomware attack in May [59271]. 3. The software cause of the failure incident was the UK government's decision not to extend support for Windows XP, leaving government computers running on the obsolete operating system at risk from hackers [36094]. 4. The software cause of the failure incident was the failure of federal government agencies in the U.S. to complete the transition away from Windows XP on time, leaving hundreds of thousands of machines running outdated software and vulnerable to hackers [25272]. 5. The software cause of the failure incident was the potential security risks associated with millions of people still using Windows XP, prompting concerns about the ability of hackers to infect newer computers [61298]. |
| Non-software Causes | 1. Lack of budget and financial resources for government departments to upgrade their systems [Article 36094] 2. Delayed transition from Windows XP due to budget crises and a shortage of top-level coordination [Article 25272] |
| Impacts | 1. The software failure incident of running Windows XP in government computers left them vulnerable to hacking risks, as Microsoft ended support for Windows XP in 2014, making it susceptible to security vulnerabilities [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272]. 2. The NHS experienced havoc due to the Wannacry ransomware attack, causing disruptions in services, cancellations of operations and appointments, and inaccessible files on infected computers [63254, 59271]. 3. The incident highlighted the deeper problems with the prevalence of Windows XP even years after its official end of support, leading to increased risks of cyberattacks and malware infections [59271, 36094, 25272]. 4. The incident showcased the challenges faced by organizations, including government departments, in transitioning away from Windows XP due to budget constraints, specialized legacy software dependencies, and the time and cost involved in system upgrades [36094, 25272]. 5. The failure incident emphasized the importance of timely software updates and migration to newer operating systems to mitigate security risks and protect against cyber threats [25272, 61298]. |
| Preventions | 1. Upgrading to a newer operating system: Upgrading from Windows XP to a newer, supported operating system would have prevented the software failure incident as Microsoft ended support for Windows XP in 2014, leaving it vulnerable to security risks [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272]. 2. Applying security patches and updates: Regularly applying security patches and updates provided by Microsoft could have prevented the software failure incident, as seen in the case of the emergency security update issued for Windows XP after the WannaCry attack [59271, 61298]. 3. Implementing a proactive approach to cybersecurity: Taking a proactive approach to cybersecurity by prioritizing system upgrades, monitoring vulnerabilities, and investing in cybersecurity measures could have prevented the software failure incident [25272]. 4. Using third-party security software: Utilizing third-party security software compatible with Windows XP, such as Avast and Kaspersky, could have provided an additional layer of protection against online threats [61298]. |
| Fixes | 1. Upgrading to a newer operating system like Windows 7, 8, or 10 [25272, 36094] 2. Disconnecting the Windows XP machines from the internet to reduce vulnerability [61298] 3. Using third-party security software for protection on Windows XP machines [61298] | References | 1. Experts in the field of cybersecurity, such as Dr. Steven Murdoch from University College London, provided insights on the risks associated with using outdated operating systems like Windows XP [63254]. 2. Reports and statistics from various police forces in the UK, including Greater Manchester Police, Cleveland Police, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Civil Nuclear Constabulary, Gwent Police, North Wales Police, Lancashire Constabulary, Wiltshire Police, City of London Police, and London's Metropolitan Police Service, were used to highlight the prevalence of Windows XP in law enforcement agencies [63254]. 3. Information from the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK was referenced to discuss the impact of the Wannacry ransomware attack on systems running Windows XP [59271]. 4. The Government Digital Service and the Crown Commercial Service in the UK provided details on the decision not to extend support for Windows XP in government computers [36094]. 5. Microsoft's response to the global ransomware attacks, including the release of a security update for Windows XP, was cited to explain the company's stance on providing updates for the retired operating system [61298]. 6. Security experts, former government officials, and industry analysts shared their perspectives on the risks and challenges associated with running Windows XP in various organizations [25272]. |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Recurring | one_organization, multiple_organization | (a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization: - The incident of running outdated Windows XP systems and facing security risks has been reported in multiple articles. For example, Greater Manchester Police revealed that a significant number of their computers were still running Windows XP, posing a hacking risk [63254]. Similarly, the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK also faced issues with Windows XP systems during the Wannacry ransomware attack [59271]. (b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization: - The articles highlight that various organizations, including police forces like Cleveland Police, Police Service of Northern Ireland, and Civil Nuclear Constabulary, had a small number of computers still running Windows XP, indicating a widespread issue of outdated systems across different organizations [63254]. Additionally, the UK government faced challenges with Windows XP support, leading to vulnerabilities in government computers [36094]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) | design, operation | (a) In the articles, the software failure incidents related to the design phase can be seen in the failure to upgrade from Windows XP to newer operating systems. For example, the Greater Manchester Police had a significant number of computers still running Windows XP, posing a hacking risk due to the lack of support and security updates for the outdated system [63254]. Similarly, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) faced a ransomware attack known as Wannacry due to a reported 90% of NHS trusts running at least one Windows XP device, despite Microsoft ending support for Windows XP in 2014 [59271]. (b) The software failure incidents related to the operation phase can be observed in the challenges faced by government agencies in transitioning away from Windows XP due to budget constraints, lack of top-level coordination, and the large amount of custom government software built to run on the outdated operating system. This operational failure left many government computers vulnerable to cyberattacks as Microsoft withdrew support for Windows XP, leaving weaknesses unpatched and exploitable by attackers [36094, 25272]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) | within_system, outside_system | (a) The failure of software systems due to contributing factors that originate from within the system is evident in the case of the continued use of Windows XP by various organizations, including government agencies and police forces. Article 63254 highlights how Greater Manchester Police and other police forces in the UK were still using Windows XP on a significant number of their computers, despite Microsoft ending support for the operating system in 2014. The article mentions that the police forces were facing challenges in transitioning away from Windows XP due to the reliance on specialized legacy software that may not work with newer Windows releases. This internal factor of software dependency on legacy applications within the system contributes to the software failure incident [63254]. On the other hand, the failure of software systems due to contributing factors that originate from outside the system is evident in the case of the WannaCry ransomware attack that affected systems running Windows XP. Article 59271 discusses how the NHS and other organizations were impacted by the ransomware attack due to vulnerabilities in outdated systems like Windows XP. The article highlights that the best protection against the WannaCry ransomware was to patch systems, but for Windows XP and other expired operating systems, the patches were not available. This external factor of cyber threats targeting outdated systems from outside the system contributes to the software failure incident [59271]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) | non-human_actions, human_actions | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The software failure incident related to the use of Windows XP in various organizations, including the NHS and police forces, was primarily due to the outdated nature of the operating system. Windows XP was no longer supported by Microsoft, leaving systems vulnerable to cyber attacks like the Wannacry ransomware [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - The software failure incident related to the continued use of Windows XP in government computers was influenced by decisions made by government officials and departments. Despite warnings and the end of support from Microsoft, some agencies struggled with the transition to newer operating systems due to budget constraints and lack of coordination [36094, 25272]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) | hardware, software | (a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware: - Article 25272 reports on the software failure incident related to Windows XP running on federal government computers. The article highlights that the deadline for installing secure operating systems on federal government computers passed with the job incomplete, leaving hundreds of thousands of machines running outdated software and unusually vulnerable to hackers. The article mentions that despite efforts to complete upgrades, an estimated 10 percent of government computers were still running Windows XP, including thousands on classified military and diplomatic networks, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks [25272]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to software: - Article 59271 discusses a software failure incident related to the ransomware attack known as WannaCry that impacted the UK's National Health Service (NHS). The article highlights that the best protection against the ransomware was to download a patch issued by Microsoft in March. However, due to the prevalence of Windows XP in NHS trusts (reportedly 90 percent), many systems were vulnerable to the attack as Windows XP had not been supported by Microsoft since 2014. This lack of software support contributed to the software failure incident where NHS systems were shut down, causing disruptions in services [59271]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) | non-malicious | (a) The software failure incident discussed in the articles is primarily non-malicious. It involves the failure of systems running on the outdated Windows XP operating system, which was no longer supported by Microsoft. This lack of support left the systems vulnerable to security risks and attacks, such as ransomware incidents like Wannacry and Petya. The incidents were not intentional acts of harm but rather a result of using an obsolete and insecure operating system [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) | poor_decisions | (a) The intent of the software failure incident related to poor decisions can be seen in the software failure incident involving the continued use of Windows XP by various organizations, including government entities and police forces. Despite knowing the risks associated with using an outdated and unsupported operating system like Windows XP, these organizations made decisions to continue using it due to various reasons such as budget constraints, reliance on specialized legacy software, and challenges in transitioning to newer systems. This poor decision-making contributed to the vulnerability of their systems to cyber threats and attacks [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298]. (b) The intent of the software failure incident related to accidental decisions can be observed in the unintentional consequences of using outdated software like Windows XP. While some organizations may have initially continued using Windows XP due to factors like budget constraints or reliance on legacy software, the unintended outcome was leaving their systems vulnerable to cyber threats and attacks. The failure to prioritize upgrading to newer, more secure operating systems inadvertently exposed these organizations to risks they may not have fully anticipated [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) | development_incompetence, accidental | (a) development_incompetence: The software failure incidents related to the use of Windows XP in various organizations, including the Greater Manchester Police, NHS, and government departments, can be attributed to development incompetence. The continued use of Windows XP, an outdated and unsupported operating system, was due to complex technical requirements from specialized applications that were not updated or replaced in a timely manner [63254]. Additionally, the failure to transition away from Windows XP in government departments despite warnings and budget allocations can be seen as a lack of professional competence in managing software upgrades and security risks [36094]. The delay in upgrading systems and reliance on legacy software that only works on Windows XP showcases a lack of proactive measures and technical expertise in handling software transitions [25272]. (b) accidental: The accidental aspect of the software failure incidents can be seen in the unintended consequences of using Windows XP, such as leaving systems vulnerable to cyberattacks like the Wannacry ransomware and Petya worm [61298]. The failure to update systems and the accidental exposure to security risks due to the end of support for Windows XP can be considered accidental in nature, as organizations may not have intentionally chosen to leave their systems vulnerable but did so due to a lack of awareness or urgency in addressing the risks [59271]. |
| Duration | permanent, temporary | (a) The software failure incident related to the use of Windows XP by various organizations, including government agencies and police forces, can be considered as a permanent failure. This is because Windows XP reached its end of support from Microsoft in 2014, meaning that security vulnerabilities and risks associated with using the outdated operating system are ongoing and not expected to be resolved [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298]. (b) However, there have been temporary measures taken in response to specific threats or incidents related to Windows XP. For example, Microsoft issued a security update for Windows XP in response to the global WannaCry ransomware attack in May, which also helped block the Petya worm [61298]. Additionally, some organizations sought custom support agreements from Microsoft to address immediate security concerns [25272]. |
| Behaviour | crash, omission | (a) crash: - Article 63254 reports that the NHS computer systems were hit by ransomware malware known as Wannacry, causing havoc and making files inaccessible, leading to canceled operations and appointments [63254]. - Article 59271 mentions the ransomware attack impacting the UK's National Health Service, causing services to be shut off at hospitals and clinics throughout the region [59271]. - Article 25272 discusses the vulnerability of government computers running Windows XP to hackers due to the end of support for the operating system, leaving them unusually vulnerable to cyberattacks [25272]. (b) omission: - Article 61298 mentions that Microsoft issued a security update for its retired Windows XP system after the global WannaCry ransomware attack, indicating an omission in providing regular updates for the outdated system [61298]. (c) timing: - No specific instances of timing failures were mentioned in the articles. (d) value: - No specific instances of value failures were mentioned in the articles. (e) byzantine: - No specific instances of byzantine failures were mentioned in the articles. (f) other: - The articles do not provide information on any other specific behavior of the software failure incident. |
| Layer | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Perception | None | None |
| Communication | None | None |
| Application | None | None |
| Category | Option | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Consequence | property, non-human, theoretical_consequence | (a) death: People lost their lives due to the software failure - No information about people losing their lives due to the software failure was mentioned in the articles [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298]. (b) harm: People were physically harmed due to the software failure - No information about people being physically harmed due to the software failure was mentioned in the articles [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298]. (c) basic: People's access to food or shelter was impacted because of the software failure - No information about people's access to food or shelter being impacted due to the software failure was mentioned in the articles [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298]. (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure - The software failure incident involving the continued use of Windows XP in various organizations, including government agencies and police forces, posed a significant security risk due to the lack of support and potential vulnerabilities [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272]. (e) delay: People had to postpone an activity due to the software failure - No information about people having to postpone an activity due to the software failure was mentioned in the articles [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298]. (f) non-human: Non-human entities were impacted due to the software failure - The software failure incidents primarily impacted computer systems and networks, potentially exposing them to security risks and vulnerabilities [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298]. (g) no_consequence: There were no real observed consequences of the software failure - The articles clearly outlined the consequences of using outdated software like Windows XP, including security risks, potential hacking vulnerabilities, and the impact of ransomware attacks on organizations [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298]. (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed of the software failure that did not occur - The articles discussed the potential risks and consequences of using outdated software like Windows XP, such as increased vulnerability to cyberattacks and the lack of security patches, which could lead to data breaches and system compromises [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298]. (i) other: Was there consequence(s) of the software failure not described in the (a to h) options? What is the other consequence(s)? - No other specific consequences of the software failure were mentioned in the articles [63254, 59271, 36094, 25272, 61298]. |
| Domain | information, government | (a) The failed system was related to the information industry, specifically affecting the Greater Manchester Police force's computers running Windows XP [63254]. (b) The failed system did not directly relate to the transportation industry. (c) The failed system did not directly relate to the natural resources industry. (d) The failed system did not directly relate to the sales industry. (e) The failed system did not directly relate to the construction industry. (f) The failed system did not directly relate to the manufacturing industry. (g) The failed system did not directly relate to the utilities industry. (h) The failed system did not directly relate to the finance industry. (i) The failed system did not directly relate to the knowledge industry. (j) The failed system did not directly relate to the health industry. (k) The failed system did not directly relate to the entertainment industry. (l) The failed system was related to the government industry, specifically impacting government organizations like the Greater Manchester Police and NHS due to their reliance on Windows XP [63254]. (m) The failed system was not directly related to any other specific industry mentioned in the articles. |
Article ID: 63254
Article ID: 59271
Article ID: 36094
Article ID: 25272
Article ID: 61298