| Recurring |
multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident of malvertising affecting Spotify is not explicitly mentioned to have happened before within the same organization in the provided article [48667].
(b) The article does mention that malvertising has hit some of the biggest websites like Yahoo, the New York Times, and the BBC, indicating that similar incidents have occurred at other organizations as well [48667]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in the article can be attributed to the design phase. The incident was caused by a malicious advert that was pushed through the free tier of Spotify, leading to pop-ups opening questionable websites for users. This issue stemmed from an isolated issue with an ad on the Free tier, indicating a problem introduced during the system development or updates process [48667].
(b) Additionally, the incident could also be linked to the operation phase as some users reported attempted malware installations as a result of the malicious advert. This aspect highlights the impact of the operation or misuse of the system on the failure incident [48667]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident reported in the article is related to malvertising affecting Spotify users. The issue originated within the Spotify system where a malicious advert on the free tier of the music streaming site caused pop-up windows to open questionable websites for some users. Spotify confirmed the problem and mentioned it was an isolated issue with an ad on their Free tier, indicating that the failure was due to factors originating from within the Spotify system [48667].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident involving malvertising impacting Spotify users also involved contributing factors that originated from outside the system. The article explains that malvertising is a widespread issue affecting various big websites like Yahoo, the New York Times, and the BBC. This problem arises because most large sites sell advertising space through third-party resellers, who can introduce malicious code into the ad server, leading to the distribution of harmful ads across multiple sites. This external factor of malvertising affecting the ad ecosystem beyond Spotify's direct control highlights the influence of factors originating from outside the system [48667]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
The incident of malvertising affecting Spotify was due to a malicious advert that was pushed through the free tier of the music streaming site. This malicious advert resulted in pop-up windows opening for users, with some users even experiencing attempted malware installations. The issue stemmed from an isolated issue with an ad on Spotify's Free tier, indicating that the failure was caused by factors introduced without human participation [48667].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
In response to the reports of the malvertising attack, Spotify confirmed the issue and mentioned that they had identified the source of the problem and shut it down. This indicates that human actions were involved in identifying and resolving the issue caused by the malicious advert on the platform [48667]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the article is not attributed to hardware issues. Instead, it is related to malvertising, where a malicious advert pushed through the free tier of Spotify's service caused pop-ups and potential malware installations for some users. This issue originated from the malicious code embedded in the advertisement, which exploited vulnerabilities in the ad-serving system rather than any hardware-related factors [48667].
(b) The software failure incident is directly linked to software issues. Spotify confirmed that the problem with questionable website pop-ups was a result of an isolated issue with an ad on their Free tier. The source of the problem was identified as a software-related issue, and Spotify took action to shut it down and monitor the situation [48667]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident reported in Article 48667 was malicious in nature. It was caused by malvertising, where a malicious advert pushed through Spotify's free tier resulted in opening "questionable" website pop-ups for some users. Some users even reported attempted malware installations as a result of this attack. The incident was a deliberate attempt to harm the system by introducing malicious code through the ad server [48667]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident related to poor_decisions:
- The incident was caused by malvertising, where a malicious advert was pushed through the free tier of Spotify, resulting in questionable website pop-ups for users [Article 48667].
- The issue stemmed from an isolated issue with an ad on Spotify's Free tier, indicating a potential poor decision in the ad approval process [Article 48667]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as it mentions how a malicious advert was pushed through the free tier of Spotify, leading to pop-ups opening questionable websites for users. This indicates a lack of professional competence in ensuring the security and integrity of the ad-serving system, allowing malicious code to be delivered to users' browsers [48667].
(b) The accidental nature of the software failure incident is also highlighted in the article when Spotify confirmed the issue and mentioned it as an isolated problem with an ad on their Free tier. This suggests that the incident was not intentional but rather a result of an accidental flaw or oversight in the ad-serving process [48667]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article about Spotify being hit by malvertising can be categorized as a temporary failure. The incident was caused by a malicious advert pushed through the free tier of the music streaming site, resulting in pop-up windows opening for some users. Spotify identified the issue, shut it down, and confirmed that they would continue to monitor the situation. This indicates that the failure was temporary and not permanent [48667]. |
| Behaviour |
other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident reported in Article 48667 did not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. Instead, it resulted in pop-up windows opening for users due to a malicious advert, with some users experiencing attempted malware installations [48667].
(b) omission: The incident did not involve the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). Users were still able to access Spotify's service, but were affected by the pop-up windows caused by the malicious advert [48667].
(c) timing: The failure was not related to the system performing its intended functions too late or too early. The issue with questionable website pop-ups occurred in real-time for users accessing the free tier of Spotify's service [48667].
(d) value: The software failure incident did not involve the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The issue was caused by a malicious advert that led to pop-up windows and potential malware installations, rather than the system providing incorrect outputs or results [48667].
(e) byzantine: The incident did not exhibit behavior where the system behaved erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The impact of the malicious advert was consistent in opening pop-up windows for affected users, without displaying varying or conflicting responses [48667].
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident in Article 48667 can be categorized as a security vulnerability caused by malvertising, where a malicious advert infiltrated Spotify's free tier service and led to the display of questionable website pop-ups for users. This behavior falls under the category of a security breach rather than a traditional software failure such as a crash or omission [48667]. |