Question

What is the root cause of the Equifax data breach?? How to identify using 5 WHY's approach??

Answer 1

THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE Equifax data breach

Much is still unknown. But it came down to a flaw in a tool designed to build web applications, the company said in a press release this week. And Equifax admitted it was aware of the security flaw a full two months before the company says hackers first gained accessed to its data.Some of the information hackers had access to includes names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and some driver's license numbers.

The tool is called Apache Struts, and it's used by many large businesses and government organizations.

IDENTIFYING APPROACH

1. Credit freezes

A credit freeze “freezes” your credit report. A credit freeze means potential creditors cannot access your credit report, making it less likely an identity thief can open new accounts in your name

2. Fraud alerts

What it does: When anyone applies for credit in your name, a credit alert requires creditors to take reasonable steps to verify that it’s you and not a criminal seeking a new credit card or loan, for instance. Initial fraud alerts have to be renewed after 90 days.

3. Credit monitoring

What it does: Credit monitoring services track changes to one or more your credit reports, including applications for a new credit card or a loan. It can detect suspicious activity

4. Identity theft protection

It typically provides credit file monitoring at one or more of the three credit reporting agencies and sometimes a credit score from one agency or more. Services may include alerts you’re your personally identifiable information is used in ways that may not show up on your credit report. Identity theft protection may also provide restoration services that help victims resolve various identity theft issues.

Answer 2

The root cause of the Equifax data breach can be attributed to multiple factors, but one major contributing factor was the failure to patch a known vulnerability in the Apache Struts software framework. This vulnerability allowed hackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and exploit Equifax's systems.

Using the 5 WHY's approach, we can identify the root cause as follows:

1. Why did the data breach occur?

• Because hackers gained unauthorized access to Equifax's systems.

2. Why did the hackers gain unauthorized access?

• Because there was a vulnerability in the Apache Struts software framework.

3. Why was the vulnerability not addressed?

• Because Equifax failed to patch the software.

4. Why did Equifax fail to patch the software?

• Because there was a breakdown in the company's patch management process.

5. Why was there a breakdown in the patch management process?

• Because there may have been inadequate resources, lack of proper oversight, or a failure to prioritize security measures.

By repeatedly asking "why" and delving deeper into the causes, we can identify the root cause of the Equifax data breach: the failure to patch a known vulnerability due to a breakdown in the patch management process. This analysis helps in understanding the underlying issues and can guide organizations in implementing preventive measures to avoid similar incidents in the future.