Source googles for SecureDrop, clicks on link on Twitter, or other metadata trail accepted

THREAT163 · Accepted: The team has decided to live with this risk. · Defined in catalog.py:2803

Risk: High impact × High likelihood = 12 high
After mitigations: High impact × High likelihood = 12 high (unchanged)

Even if a source does not discuss SecureDrop/leaking documents, a source may accidentally generate a metadata trail via their web browsing activity, e.g. via a Google search (search results were used in the Reality Winner trial)

Threat actors: Nation State / Law Enforcement Large Corporation

Mitigations

No mitigations in place.

Residual risk

By the time we can inform these users about these risks, the damage is likely already done.

Where it applies

Applies to 1 component in 1 scenario.

Source environment Source Area

Source discovery and OPSEC · Source environment

digraph tm {
    graph [
        fontname = Arial;
        fontsize = 14;
    ]
    node [
        fontname = Arial;
        fontsize = 14;
    ]
    edge [
        fontname = Arial;
        fontsize = 12;
    ]
    nodesep = 1;

    subgraph cluster_boundary_External_Services {
        graph [
            fontsize = 10;
            fontcolor = black;
            style = dashed;
            color = firebrick2;
            label = <<i>External Services</i>>;
        ]

        component_Landing_page_External_Services [
            shape = circle;
            color = black;
            fontcolor = black;
            label = "Landing page";
            URL = "component_Landing_page.html";
            tooltip = "Landing page";
            margin = 0.02;
        ]

        component_SecureDrop_org_directory_External_Services [
            shape = circle;
            color = black;
            fontcolor = black;
            label = "SecureDrop.org\ndirectory";
            URL = "component_SecureDrop_org_directory.html";
            tooltip = "SecureDrop.org directory";
            margin = 0.02;
        ]

    }

    subgraph cluster_boundary_SecureDrop_Area {
        graph [
            fontsize = 10;
            fontcolor = black;
            style = dashed;
            color = firebrick2;
            label = <<i>SecureDrop Area</i>>;
        ]

        component_Dedicated_Hardware_Firewall_SecureDrop_Area [
            shape = circle;
            color = black;
            fontcolor = black;
            label = "Dedicated\nHardware\nFirewall";
            URL = "component_Dedicated_Hardware_Firewall.html";
            tooltip = "Dedicated Hardware Firewall";
            margin = 0.02;
        ]

    }

    subgraph cluster_boundary_Source_Area {
        graph [
            fontsize = 10;
            fontcolor = black;
            style = dashed;
            color = firebrick2;
            label = <<i>Source Area</i>>;
        ]

        actor_Source_Source_Area [
            shape = square;
            color = black;
            fontcolor = black;
            label = "Source";
            URL = "component_Source.html";
            tooltip = "Source";
            margin = 0.02;
        ]

        component_Source_Tor_Browser_Source_Area [
            shape = circle;
            color = black;
            fontcolor = black;
            label = "Source Tor\nBrowser";
            URL = "component_Source_Tor_Browser.html";
            tooltip = "Source Tor Browser";
            margin = 0.02;
        ]

        component_Source_environment_Source_Area [
            shape = circle;
            color = black;
            fontcolor = black;
            label = "Source\nenvironment";
            URL = "component_Source_environment.html";
            tooltip = "Source environment";
            margin = 0.02;

            style = "filled";

            fillcolor = "#c0392b";

            fontcolor = "white";

            class = "highlighted";
        ]

    }

    actor_Source_Source_Area -> component_Source_environment_Source_Area [        color = black;        fontcolor = black;        dir = forward;        label = "1. Research / browse";    ]
    component_Source_environment_Source_Area -> component_SecureDrop_org_directory_External_Services [        color = black;        fontcolor = black;        dir = forward;        label = "2. Check directory";    ]
    component_Source_environment_Source_Area -> component_Landing_page_External_Services [        color = black;        fontcolor = black;        dir = forward;        label = "3. Visit landing\npage";    ]
    actor_Source_Source_Area -> component_Source_Tor_Browser_Source_Area [        color = black;        fontcolor = black;        dir = forward;        label = "4. Open Tor Browser";    ]
    component_Source_Tor_Browser_Source_Area -> component_Dedicated_Hardware_Firewall_SecureDrop_Area [        color = black;        fontcolor = black;        dir = forward;        label = "5. Connect to onion";    ]
}

Notes

Existing mitigations: None. Automated test for mitigation: No.

How this threat is matched

Listed for these components. A boundary covers every component inside it.