Incident: Security Flaw in XRY Software Allows Easy Phone Access

Published Date: 2012-03-27

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident happened last week as per the article [11105]. Step 1: The article mentions that the company released a video last week. Step 2: The article was published on 2012-03-27. Step 3: The incident occurred in March 2012.
System The software failure incident described in the article involves the security systems of iPhone and Android devices being compromised by the XRY application developed by Micro Systemation. The specific systems that failed in this incident are: 1. iPhone security system 2. Android security system These systems failed to prevent unauthorized access to user information due to the security flaw exploited by the XRY software [11105].
Responsible Organization 1. Micro Systemation - The Swedish security firm responsible for developing the XRY application that demonstrated how easily passcode-protected iPhones and Android devices could be accessed [11105].
Impacted Organization 1. Users of iPhone and Android devices [11105]
Software Causes 1. The software cause of the failure incident was the security flaw in the iPhone and Android devices that allowed the XRY application from Micro Systemation to guess every combination of numbers to find the correct passcode, thereby compromising the security of the devices [11105].
Non-software Causes 1. Lack of strong passcode practices by users, such as repeating one number in the iPhone's four-digit security PIN, making it easier to crack the device [11105].
Impacts 1. The software failure incident allowed easy access to passcode-protected iPhones and Android devices, enabling unauthorized individuals to retrieve user information such as GPS location, call history, contacts, and messages [11105].
Preventions 1. Implementing stronger passcode policies: Enforcing longer and more complex passcodes can make it harder for software like XRY to crack into devices [11105]. 2. Regularly updating software and operating systems: Manufacturers should continuously release updates to patch security flaws and vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hacking tools like XRY [11105].
Fixes To fix the software failure incident where the XRY software can easily break into passcode-protected iPhones and Android devices, the following measures could be considered: 1. Implementing stronger passcode policies: Users should be encouraged to set longer and more complex passcodes to enhance security [11105]. 2. Regular software updates: Manufacturers should release frequent updates to patch security vulnerabilities and flaws that could be exploited by tools like XRY [11105]. These measures can help mitigate the risk of unauthorized access to mobile devices through tools like XRY.
References 1. Micro Systemation, a Swedish security firm [Article 11105] 2. Forbes magazine [Article 11105] 3. Lookout, a mobile security provider [Article 11105]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring unknown The article does not mention any specific incident of the software failure happening again at the same organization (one_organization) or at multiple organizations (multiple_organization). Therefore, the information related to this question is unknown.
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article. The incident involves the development of software by Micro Systemation, a Swedish security firm, that helps police and military crack digital security systems. The software developed by the company, XRY, works by guessing every combination of numbers to find the correct passcode on mobile phones like iPhones and Android devices. This approach of searching for security flaws by guessing combinations of numbers indicates a design flaw in the software, as it does not rely on vulnerabilities made by the manufacturer but rather on brute-forcing passcodes [11105]. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can be inferred from the article as well. The incident involves the misuse of the XRY software by individuals to gain unauthorized access to mobile phones. The software, which is designed to assist law enforcement and military in cracking digital security systems, can be misused to access user information such as GPS location, call history, contacts, and messages in less than two minutes. This misuse of the software highlights an operational failure where the intended purpose of the software is being exploited for unauthorized access [11105].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) The software failure incident described in the article is within_system. The failure is related to the security flaw in the XRY software developed by Micro Systemation, a Swedish security firm. The software works by guessing every combination of numbers to find the correct passcode, rather than exploiting vulnerabilities in the phone's operating system. This internal flaw in the software allows for unauthorized access to user information on iPhone and Android devices [11105].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions (a) The software failure incident in the article is related to non-human actions. The failure occurred due to the XRY software developed by Micro Systemation, which is designed to guess every combination of numbers to find the correct passcode on iPhone and Android devices. This software exploits security flaws in the devices rather than vulnerabilities introduced by human actions [11105].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware (a) The software failure incident in the article is related to hardware. The Swedish security firm, Micro Systemation, demonstrated how easy it is to break into passcode-protected iPhones and Android devices using their software application XRY. This application works by guessing every combination of numbers to find the correct code, rather than exploiting vulnerabilities in the hardware. The software essentially bypasses the security measures put in place by the hardware, making it a hardware-related failure incident [11105].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The objective of the software failure incident was malicious. The incident involved a Swedish security firm, Micro Systemation, demonstrating how easy it is to break into passcode-protected iPhones and Android devices using their application called XRY. The software works by guessing every combination of numbers to find the correct code, essentially bypassing the security measures put in place by the manufacturers. This act of breaking into devices without authorization clearly indicates a malicious intent to access user information [11105].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) unknown The software failure incident described in the article does not directly align with either poor_decisions or accidental_decisions. The incident involves a security firm demonstrating how easily they can break into passcode-protected iPhones and Android devices using their software, XRY. This incident is more related to security vulnerabilities and flaws in the devices rather than poor or accidental decisions made by the software developers.
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as Micro Systemation, a Swedish security firm, developed an application called XRY that can easily break into passcode-protected iPhones and Android devices by guessing every combination of numbers to find the correct code. This method of breaking into devices does not rely on vulnerabilities made by the manufacturer but rather on searching for security flaws through brute force methods. This demonstrates a lack of professional competence in ensuring the security of the devices [11105]. (b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is not explicitly mentioned in the article.
Duration unknown The articles do not provide information about a software failure incident being either permanent or temporary.
Behaviour value, other (a) crash: The software failure incident described in the article does not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. The incident is more focused on the security flaw in the software that allows unauthorized access to the contents of mobile phones like iPhones and Android devices [11105]. (b) omission: The software failure incident is not related to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). Instead, it is about the software flaw that allows unauthorized access to user information on mobile devices [11105]. (c) timing: The software failure incident is not about the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. It is more about the security vulnerability that allows quick access to user data on mobile phones [11105]. (d) value: The software failure incident is related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. In this case, the software flaw allows unauthorized access to sensitive user information on iPhones and Android devices, which compromises the security of the devices [11105]. (e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not involve the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. It is more about the security vulnerability that allows unauthorized access to user data on mobile phones [11105]. (f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be categorized as a security vulnerability that enables unauthorized access to user information on mobile devices like iPhones and Android devices. The incident highlights the importance of strong passcodes to prevent such unauthorized access [11105].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception None None
Communication None None
Application None None

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence theoretical_consequence (a) death: People lost their lives due to the software failure (b) harm: People were physically harmed due to the software failure (c) basic: People's access to food or shelter was impacted because of the software failure (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure (e) delay: People had to postpone an activity due to the software failure (f) non-human: Non-human entities were impacted due to the software failure (g) no_consequence: There were no real observed consequences of the software failure (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed of the software failure that did not occur (i) other: Was there consequence(s) of the software failure not described in the (a to h) options? What is the other consequence(s)? The articles do not mention any direct consequences such as death, harm, impact on basic needs, property loss, or delays caused by the software failure incident. The focus is on the security vulnerability of mobile devices and the ease with which the passcode-protected iPhone or Android devices can be accessed using the XRY software. The potential consequences discussed revolve around the security implications and the importance of using complex passwords to prevent unauthorized access to personal information stored on mobile phones.
Domain information The software failure incident described in the article is related to the industry of information [11105]. The incident involves a security firm, Micro Systemation, demonstrating how easily they can break into passcode-protected iPhones and Android devices using their software XRY. This software allows access to user information such as GPS location, call history, contacts, and messages by guessing every combination of numbers to find the correct code. This incident highlights the vulnerability of mobile devices to security breaches and the importance of strong passcodes to protect sensitive information.

Sources

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