| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to a critical security flaw in Internet Explorer 8 has happened again at Microsoft. The article mentions that this is not the first zero-day to affect Internet Explorer after Microsoft halted support for Windows XP, indicating a recurrence of such incidents within the same organization [26859].
(b) The software failure incident related to a critical security flaw in Internet Explorer 8 has also happened at other organizations or with their products and services. The article mentions that a major zero-day exploit affected Internet Explorer shortly after XP service came to an end, indicating similar incidents occurring beyond just Microsoft [26859]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design |
(a) The software failure incident in the article is related to the design phase. The critical security flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 was a vulnerability that allowed an attacker to run malicious code in IE 8 when visiting a website designed to infect the computer. This flaw was present since October 2013 and remained unfixed, possibly due to the complexity of the fix or the fact that IE 8 is the last version of the browser to support Windows XP, which Microsoft no longer officially supports [26859].
(b) The article does not provide information about the software failure incident being related to the operation phase. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) The software failure incident related to the critical security flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 can be categorized as within_system. The vulnerability allowing an attacker to run malicious code in IE 8 was a flaw within the system itself, which Microsoft had been unable to fix despite being aware of it since October 2013 [26859]. The complexity of the fix and the extensive testing required by Microsoft before releasing a security patch indicate that the issue was internal to the software system. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the article is related to a critical security flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8, which is a result of a zero-day vulnerability that allows an attacker to run malicious code when visiting a specific website. This flaw was not fixed for an extended period, possibly due to the complexity of the fix and the need for thorough testing [26859].
(b) Human actions are also involved in this incident as Microsoft's response to the zero-day vulnerability includes recommendations for users to adjust their Internet security zone settings, configure Internet Explorer settings, or install additional security tools like the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) to mitigate the risk of exploitation [26859]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident in the article is not attributed to hardware issues but rather to a critical security flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 [26859]. The vulnerability allowed an attacker to run malicious code in IE 8 when visiting a website designed to infect the computer. Microsoft was aware of the zero-day flaw but had been unable to fix it, possibly due to the complexity of the fix and the need to test it against various programs and configurations [26859].
(b) The software failure incident in the article is directly related to software issues, specifically a critical security flaw in Internet Explorer 8 [26859]. The flaw allowed attackers to execute malicious code when users visited compromised websites. Microsoft had not been able to patch the vulnerability, indicating a software-related failure in addressing the security issue [26859]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident in Article 26859 is related to a critical security flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 that allows an attacker to run malicious code when visiting a website designed to infect the computer. This indicates a malicious objective behind the software failure incident as it involves exploiting a vulnerability to harm the system [26859].
(b) The article also mentions that Microsoft has been unable to fix the vulnerability in Internet Explorer 8, potentially due to the complexity of the fix and the need for thorough testing against various programs and configurations. This aspect suggests a non-malicious objective behind the failure incident, as it highlights challenges in addressing the flaw rather than intentional harm [26859]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the critical security flaw in Internet Explorer 8 can be attributed to poor decisions made by Microsoft. The article mentions that the vulnerability allowing an attacker to run malicious code in IE 8 had gone unfixed since October 2013, and Microsoft was aware of it but had been unable to fix it. The delay in fixing the flaw could be due to various reasons such as IE 8 being the last version to support Windows XP, which Microsoft no longer officially supports, or the complexity of the flaw itself. Microsoft's response to the situation indicates that they are working on thoroughly testing the security fix but did not provide a specific timeline for the resolution [26859]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article. The critical security flaw in Internet Explorer 8 went unfixed for several months despite being reported to Microsoft in October 2013. The delay in fixing the vulnerability raises questions about the professional competence of the development team or organization in addressing such critical issues promptly [26859].
(b) The accidental aspect of the software failure incident is also highlighted in the article. The report mentions that the vulnerability in Internet Explorer 8 allows an attacker to run malicious code when visiting a specific website. This unintended consequence of the flaw being present in the browser could be considered an accidental introduction of a security vulnerability [26859]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident related to the critical security flaw in Internet Explorer 8 can be considered as a temporary failure. The vulnerability allowing an attacker to run malicious code in IE 8 was discovered in October 2013 and remained unfixed for more than 180 days, prompting the Zero-Day Initiative to issue a report [Article 26859]. Microsoft acknowledged the flaw but was unable to fix it promptly, possibly due to the complexity of the fix and the need for thorough testing against various programs and configurations. Despite the vulnerability remaining open, there were no reported active exploits at the time of the article, indicating that the failure was temporary in nature. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, other |
(a) crash: The article reports a critical security flaw in Internet Explorer 8 that allows an attacker to run malicious code when visiting a specific website, indicating a potential crash scenario where the system loses its state and fails to perform its intended functions [26859].
(b) omission: The article mentions that Microsoft has been unable to fix the vulnerability in Internet Explorer 8 since October 2013, suggesting an omission in performing the intended function of patching the security flaw [26859].
(c) timing: There is no specific mention of a timing-related failure in the article.
(d) value: The article does not provide information about the system performing its intended functions incorrectly.
(e) byzantine: The article does not describe the system behaving with inconsistent responses or interactions.
(f) other: The other behavior described in the article is related to the complexity of fixing the security flaw, as Microsoft mentions that some fixes are more complex than others and require thorough testing against various programs and configurations before implementation [26859]. |