Incident: Antivirus Software Flaw Exposes User Data to Hackers.

Published Date: 2015-12-30

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident involving AVG's "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome happened just before Christmas, as AVG sent the software update just before Christmas [57300]. Therefore, the software failure incident happened in December 2015.
System The system that failed in the software failure incident involving AVG's "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome was: 1. AVG's "Web tuneup" add-on for the Google Chrome browser [57300].
Responsible Organization 1. AVG - The software failure incident was caused by AVG, the antivirus software maker, whose "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome exposed users' browsing history and personal data to hackers [57300].
Impacted Organization 1. Users of AVG's "Web tuneup" add-on for the Google Chrome browser [57300]
Software Causes 1. The software failure incident was caused by a flaw in AVG's "Web tuneup" add-on for the Google Chrome browser, which exposed users' browsing history and personal data to potential hackers [57300].
Non-software Causes 1. Lack of proper data protection measures in place (Article 57300)
Impacts 1. Personal data exposure: The software failure incident involving AVG's "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome exposed users' browsing history and personal data to potential hackers, impacting the privacy and security of the affected individuals [57300].
Preventions 1. Conducting thorough security testing and audits before releasing software updates or add-ons [57300] 2. Implementing strict data protection measures to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information [57300] 3. Regularly reviewing and updating security processes and protocols to ensure software safety [57300]
Fixes 1. Implementing a quick fix to address the exposed browsing history and personal data vulnerability in the "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome [57300].
References 1. Google security researcher [57300]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring multiple_organization (a) The article mentions that other security companies, such as antivirus maker Kaspersky, have been hacked in the past year, indicating that similar incidents have happened before within the cybersecurity industry [57300]. (b) The article highlights that hacking attacks are becoming more common and expensive, with Verizon Enterprise Solutions estimating significant losses due to compromised records from companies worldwide. This suggests that similar incidents have occurred at multiple organizations, not just AVG [57300].
Phase (Design/Operation) design (a) The software failure incident in Article 57300 was related to the design phase. The AVG "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome, which was designed to protect users from unsafe sites, ended up exposing browsing history and personal data to potential hackers. This flaw was a result of the software's design, indicating a failure in the development phase [57300]. (b) Additionally, the incident did not specifically mention any failure related to the operation phase or misuse of the system.
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident with AVG's "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome was due to a flaw within the system itself. The add-on, which was supposed to protect users from unsafe sites, ended up exposing browsing history and personal data to potential hackers. AVG confirmed the flaw and quickly created a fix for it, indicating that the issue originated from within the software system [57300]. (b) outside_system: The article does not provide specific information indicating that the software failure incident was caused by contributing factors originating from outside the system. Therefore, it is unknown if external factors played a role in this particular incident.
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident in this case was due to non-human actions, specifically a flaw in the "Web tuneup" add-on for the Google Chrome browser developed by AVG. The add-on, which was meant to protect users from unsafe sites, ended up exposing browsing history and personal data to potential hackers. This flaw was not intentionally introduced by human actions but was a result of a vulnerability in the software itself [57300]. (b) Human actions were involved in the response to the software failure incident. After the flaw was highlighted by a Google security researcher, AVG confirmed the issue and quickly created a fix to address the vulnerability. This demonstrates the human intervention in identifying, acknowledging, and resolving the software failure incident [57300].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) software (a) The software failure incident reported in the article is related to contributing factors originating in software. The AVG "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome, which was designed to protect users from unsafe sites, ended up exposing browsing history and personal data due to a flaw in the software [57300]. This indicates that the failure was caused by a software issue rather than hardware.
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The software failure incident related to AVG's "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome can be categorized as a malicious failure. The add-on, which was supposed to protect users from unsafe sites, ended up exposing browsing history and personal data to potential hackers. This exposure was not accidental but rather a result of a flaw in the software that could be exploited by individuals with malicious intent. The incident highlighted the risk of trusting security software and the potential consequences of such breaches [57300].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions, accidental_decisions (a) The software failure incident involving AVG's "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome can be attributed to poor decisions made by the company. The add-on, which was supposed to protect users from unsafe sites, ended up exposing users' browsing history and personal data to potential hackers. This indicates a poor decision in the design and implementation of the software, leading to a significant security flaw [57300]. (b) Additionally, the incident highlights accidental decisions or mistakes made during the development and deployment of the software. AVG confirmed the flaw and mentioned that their first priority was to quickly release a fix once the issue was brought to their attention. This suggests that the exposure of user data was unintended and not part of the initial design or intention of the software [57300].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence, accidental (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the case of AVG's "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome. The add-on, which was supposed to protect users from unsafe sites, ended up exposing browsing history and personal data to potential hackers. This flaw was a result of a lack of professional competence in the development process, as the software failed to adequately protect user information despite being marketed as a security tool [57300]. (b) The accidental nature of the software failure incident is also highlighted in the article. AVG confirmed the flaw and quickly worked on a fix once it was brought to their attention by a Google security researcher. The incident was not intentional but rather a result of oversight or unintended consequences during the development and deployment of the software [57300].
Duration temporary (a) The software failure incident in the article about AVG's "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome can be categorized as a temporary failure. The article mentions that the problem was fixed within a couple of days of being highlighted by a Google security researcher, and AVG sent out a software update just before Christmas to address the issue. This indicates that the failure was not permanent but rather temporary in nature [57300].
Behaviour crash, omission, value, other (a) crash: The software failure incident in the article can be categorized as a crash. The AVG "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome crashed in the sense that it exposed users' browsing history and personal data to potential hackers, which was not the intended function of the software [57300]. (b) omission: The incident can also be classified as an omission. The software omitted to protect users' personal data and browsing history while promising to safeguard them from unsafe sites on the Internet [57300]. (c) timing: There is no specific indication in the article that the failure was related to timing issues. (d) value: The failure can be attributed to a value issue as the software performed its intended function incorrectly by exposing users' data instead of protecting it [57300]. (e) byzantine: The incident does not align with a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. (f) other: The other behavior exhibited by the software failure incident is a breach of trust. Users trusted the AVG software to protect their data, but the software failed in this aspect, leading to a breach of trust between the company and its users [57300].

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 The software failure incident involving AVG's "Web tuneup" add-on for Google Chrome exposed users' browsing history and personal data to potential hackers. This means that users' data and privacy were compromised, indicating an impact on people's data and potentially their material goods or money if sensitive information was stolen [57300].
Domain information (a) The failed system in this incident was related to the information industry as it involved antivirus software designed to protect users while surfing the web [57300].

Sources

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