| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the We Vibe 4 Plus vibrator controlled by a smartphone app, where security researchers found flaws in the software that controls the device, happened within the same organization, Standard Innovation. The company's communications manager, Denny Alexander, mentioned that they will fix the software vulnerability that could potentially allow a hacker to take over the vibrator while in use [47495].
(b) There is no information in the provided article about the software failure incident happening again at other organizations or with their products and services. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in the article is related to the design phase. Security researchers found flaws in the software that controls the We Vibe 4 Plus vibrator, which could potentially allow a hacker to take over the device while in use. The researchers discovered these vulnerabilities by studying the information the device sends and receives, as well as analyzing the product's terms and conditions [47495].
(b) The software failure incident is also related to the operation phase. The concerns raised by the researchers were not only about the security flaws but also about the device's collection of personal data, such as the temperature and intensity of vibration in real-time. The company, Standard Innovation, collects this data to monitor the device's performance and for market research purposes. The researchers highlighted the potential privacy implications of such data collection and challenged the company's use of terms and conditions to justify extensive data gathering, especially in the context of intimate devices like sex toys [47495]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident in this case was primarily due to flaws in the software that controls the We Vibe 4 Plus vibrator, as identified by security researchers followr and g0ldfisk [47495]. These flaws allowed for potential hacking of the device and unauthorized access to personal data collected by the company. The issue originated from within the system itself, highlighting vulnerabilities in the software that could be exploited by hackers.
(b) outside_system: While the software vulnerability was a key factor in the incident, it's worth noting that the potential for a hacker to take over the vibrator while in use would require the hacker to be nearby, as mentioned by Denny Alexander, the communications manager for Standard Innovation [47495]. This aspect suggests that the proximity of the hacker is an external factor that could impact the exploitation of the software vulnerability. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was primarily due to non-human actions. Security researchers found flaws in the software controlling the vibrator, which could potentially allow a hacker to take over the device while in use. The flaw was discovered by analyzing the software and studying the information it sends and receives, indicating a vulnerability introduced without human participation [47495].
(b) However, human actions also played a role in this incident. The company, Standard Innovation, collects personal data from the device, including information on temperature and intensity levels, in real time. The company's communication manager mentioned that they will be clarifying their terms and conditions to explain how they use this data and will allow users to opt out of sending usage data. This indicates that human decisions regarding data collection and privacy policies also contributed to the software failure incident [47495]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident in the article was not directly attributed to hardware issues. The security researchers found flaws in the software that controls the device, specifically in how it handles personal data and potential vulnerabilities that could allow a hacker to take over the vibrator [47495].
(b) The software failure incident in the article was primarily due to contributing factors that originated in the software. The security researchers identified flaws in the software controlling the device, which could potentially lead to a hacker taking control of the vibrator. The company, Standard Innovation, acknowledged the software vulnerability and committed to fixing it, indicating that the root cause of the failure was in the software itself [47495]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is more related to a non-malicious objective. The security researchers, followr and g0ldfisk, discovered flaws in the software controlling the We Vibe 4 Plus vibrator, which could potentially allow a hacker to take over the device while in use. However, the primary concern highlighted by the researchers was the collection of personal data by the device, such as temperature and intensity of vibration, in real time. They questioned the privacy implications of such data collection and how it could be used by the company for market research purposes [47495]. The company, Standard Innovation, acknowledged the software vulnerability and stated that a hacker would need to be nearby to exploit it. They also mentioned clarifying their terms and conditions to explain how user data is used and allowing users to opt-out of sharing usage data [47495]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident was related to poor_decisions. The security researchers found flaws in the software controlling the vibrator, which could potentially allow a hacker to take over the device while in use. Additionally, the researchers raised concerns about the collection of personal data by the company, such as the temperature and intensity of vibration, without clear consent from users. This indicates that the failure was a result of poor decisions made in the design and implementation of the software and data collection practices [47495]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was not due to development incompetence but rather due to security flaws found by two security researchers, followr and g0ldfisk, in the software that controls the vibrator device [47495].
(b) The software failure incident was accidental in nature as it was not intentionally caused by the company but rather discovered by the security researchers who found flaws in the software that could potentially allow a hacker to take over the vibrator while in use [47495]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident discussed in the article [47495] was temporary. The security researchers identified flaws in the software controlling the We Vibe 4 Plus vibrator, which could potentially allow a hacker to take over the device while in use. However, the company, Standard Innovation, responded by stating they would fix the software vulnerability and clarify their terms and conditions to address the issues raised by the researchers. This indicates that the failure was temporary and could be rectified by addressing specific vulnerabilities in the software. |
| Behaviour |
omission, value, byzantine, other |
(a) crash: The software flaw in the We Vibe 4 Plus vibrator controlled by a smartphone app could potentially let a hacker take over the vibrator while it's in use, although at that point it was only theoretical [47495].
(b) omission: The researchers found flaws in the software controlling the device, which included the potential for a hacker to take over the vibrator and the collection of personal data such as the temperature and intensity of vibration without explicit user consent [47495].
(c) timing: There is no specific mention of a timing-related failure in the articles.
(d) value: The software flaw allowed for the collection of personal data without clear user consent, indicating a failure in how the system handled and processed user data [47495].
(e) byzantine: The software flaw in the We Vibe 4 Plus vibrator allowed for potential unauthorized access and control of the device by a hacker, leading to inconsistent and unauthorized interactions with the device [47495].
(f) other: The software flaw also led to concerns about the privacy implications of the data collected by the device, such as the intensity levels of vibration being used for market research purposes without explicit user knowledge or consent [47495]. |