Incident: Twitter Security Vulnerability Allows Account Hijacking via Brute Force.

Published Date: 2012-10-01

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident of Twitter users having their accounts stolen due to a fundamental vulnerability in the service's security system, as reported by Daniel Dennis Jones, happened recently [14423]. Estimation: Step 1: The article mentions that the incident happened recently. Step 2: The article was published on 2012-10-01. Step 3: Based on the information provided, the incident likely occurred in September 2012.
System 1. Twitter's password reset process 2. Security system that limits log-in attempts by IP address 3. Lack of two-factor authentication 4. Vulnerability to brute force attacks
Responsible Organization 1. The hackers who exploited the fundamental vulnerability in Twitter's security system, as highlighted by Daniel Dennis Jones in his account of the incident [14423].
Impacted Organization 1. Twitter users, especially those with desirable handles, were impacted by the software failure incident [14423].
Software Causes 1. The software cause of the failure incident was a fundamental vulnerability in Twitter's security system related to the password reset process, allowing hackers to attempt a wide-ranging brute force approach to breaking into accounts [14423].
Non-software Causes 1. Lack of strong and comprehensive security measures in place to prevent brute force attacks on user accounts [14423] 2. Vulnerability in Twitter's password reset process allowing for multiple login attempts from different IP addresses [14423] 3. Accounts with desirable handles being targeted and sold on external sites [14423]
Impacts 1. The software failure incident led to the hijacking of Twitter accounts, such as the case of Daniel Dennis Jones' account @blanket [14423]. 2. The vulnerability in Twitter's security system allowed hackers to use a brute force approach to break into accounts, potentially compromising user data and privacy [14423]. 3. The incident highlighted the limitations in Twitter's security measures, particularly in how it handles log-in attempts and password reset processes, raising concerns about the overall security of the platform [14423].
Preventions 1. Implementing a more restrictive password reset process that limits log-in attempts on a per-account basis rather than by IP address could have prevented the software failure incident [14423]. 2. Employing two-factor authentication like Google does could enhance security and prevent unauthorized access to user accounts [14423]. 3. Strengthening and implementing a more comprehensive approach to dealing with brute force attacks could have helped prevent the incident [14423]. 4. Promptly responding to reports of hacked accounts and taking necessary actions to secure them could prevent the unauthorized sale of compromised accounts [14423].
Fixes 1. Implementing a more restrictive password reset process that limits log-in attempts on a per-account basis rather than by IP address [14423]. 2. Introducing two-factor authentication like Google does to enhance security measures [14423]. 3. Enhancing the security system to detect and prevent brute force attacks more effectively [14423]. 4. Providing better support and assistance to users who have had their accounts compromised [14423].
References 1. Daniel Dennis Jones, the hacked Twitter user [@14423] 2. Jeremiah Grossman, CTO and co-founder of Whitehat Security [@14423] 3. ForumKorner website where attractive Twitter handles were being sold [@14423]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization (a) The software failure incident related to Twitter's security vulnerability allowing for account hijacking has happened again within the same organization. Daniel Dennis Jones experienced his Twitter account, @blanket, being hijacked due to a fundamental vulnerability in Twitter's security system, specifically in the password reset process [14423]. This incident highlights a recurring issue within Twitter's security measures that could potentially lead to further account hijackings if not addressed effectively.
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the article. The vulnerability in Twitter's security system, specifically in the password reset process, was highlighted as a fundamental flaw that allowed hackers to attempt a wide-ranging brute force approach to breaking into accounts. This design flaw, where Twitter's security system limits log-in attempts by IP address rather than by account, was exploited by the hacker who hijacked the user's account [@14423]. This indicates a failure in the design of the security system that allowed for such attacks to occur. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is also apparent in the article. The failure in operation was due to the fact that Twitter's security system limited log-in attempts by IP address rather than by account. This allowed the hacker to make numerous attempts at getting into the account using multiple IP addresses, which is an operational flaw in how the security measures were implemented by Twitter. This flaw in operation contributed to the successful hijacking of the user's account [@14423].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) The software failure incident described in the article is within_system. The vulnerability in Twitter's security system, specifically in the password reset process, allowed hackers to exploit the system's limitation on log-in attempts by IP address rather than by account. This internal system design flaw contributed to the incident where Twitter accounts, including desirable handles like @blanket, were at risk of being stolen [14423].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions (a) The software failure incident in the article is related to non-human actions. The incident involved a vulnerability in Twitter's security system that allowed hackers to exploit the password reset process and conduct brute force attacks using automated programs without direct human involvement [14423].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) software (a) The software failure incident in the article is not directly attributed to hardware issues. Instead, it is related to a fundamental vulnerability in Twitter's security system, specifically in how the password reset process and login attempts are managed [14423]. (b) The software failure incident is primarily attributed to contributing factors originating in software, specifically in how Twitter's security system handles password reset processes and login attempts, allowing for a more wide-ranging brute force approach by hackers [14423].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) malicious (a) The software failure incident described in the article is malicious in nature. The incident involved a user whose Twitter account was hijacked by a hacker who exploited a fundamental vulnerability in Twitter's security system. The hacker used a program to repeatedly attempt to log in with common passwords, taking advantage of Twitter's password reset process that allowed for a wide-ranging brute force approach due to the limitation on log-in attempts by IP address rather than by account [14423].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions (a) The software failure incident described in the article can be attributed to poor decisions made in the design and implementation of Twitter's security system. Specifically, the vulnerability in Twitter's password reset process, which allowed hackers to conduct wide-ranging brute force attacks due to the system limiting log-in attempts by IP address rather than by account, was a poor decision that contributed to the incident [14423]. Additionally, the article mentions that the attack on the user's account was a common type of attack, indicating that the security measures in place were not robust enough to prevent such incidents, highlighting further poor decisions in the security strategy of Twitter.
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence can be seen in the article where it discusses the vulnerability in Twitter's security system that allowed for the hijacking of user accounts. The article mentions that the password reset process on Twitter allows hackers to attempt a more wide-ranging brute force approach to breaking into accounts due to the security system limiting log-in attempts by IP address rather than by account. This vulnerability in the security system can be attributed to a lack of professional competence in designing a more secure authentication process [14423]. (b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article.
Duration temporary The software failure incident described in the article is more aligned with a temporary failure rather than a permanent one. The incident involved a specific vulnerability in Twitter's security system that allowed for the hijacking of user accounts, particularly those with desirable handles. The vulnerability was related to the password reset process that allowed hackers to attempt a more wide-ranging brute force approach to breaking into accounts due to the limitation on log-in attempts by IP address rather than by account [14423]. This specific vulnerability led to the temporary failure of user account security on Twitter, which was exploited by the hacker in this incident.
Behaviour omission, value, other (a) crash: The article does not mention a crash as the specific behavior of the software failure incident. (b) omission: The software failure incident described in the article relates to a vulnerability in Twitter's security system that allowed hackers to hijack accounts by exploiting the password reset process. This can be considered a failure due to the system omitting to perform its intended function of securely protecting user accounts [14423]. (c) timing: The article does not mention a timing-related failure as the specific behavior of the software failure incident. (d) value: The software failure incident involved the system allowing hackers to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, which can be considered a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly by not adequately protecting user data and accounts [14423]. (e) byzantine: The article does not mention a byzantine behavior as the specific behavior of the software failure incident. (f) other: The software failure incident can be categorized as a failure due to the system having a vulnerability in its security system that allowed for a brute force attack on user accounts, leading to unauthorized access and potential account hijacking [14423].

IoT System Layer

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

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence property, theoretical_consequence The consequence of the software failure incident discussed in the article [14423] is related to the potential harm to people's material goods, money, or data. The incident involved the hijacking of Twitter accounts, such as the account @blanket, due to a fundamental vulnerability in Twitter's security system. The hacker used a program that repeatedly attempted to log in with common passwords, exploiting the security flaw in Twitter's password reset process that allowed for a wide-ranging brute force approach to breaking into accounts. This resulted in the unauthorized access and potential misuse of Twitter accounts, including the selling of attractive Twitter handles on external sites like ForumKorner. The incident highlights the risk of financial harm and data compromise associated with software vulnerabilities in online platforms like Twitter.
Domain information (a) The failed system in this incident is related to the information industry, specifically social media platform Twitter. The software failure incident involved a vulnerability in Twitter's security system that allowed hackers to potentially steal user accounts [14423].

Sources

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