| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the security flaw in Tinder's login process happened again within the same organization. The article mentions that this finding came after a pair of major security flaws were discovered in January that threatened user privacy [67970]. This indicates that Tinder had faced security vulnerabilities in the past, suggesting a recurring issue within the organization.
(b) The incident also highlights a flaw in a piece of Facebook-developed software that Tinder is based on. This indicates that the software failure incident involving security vulnerabilities is not limited to Tinder alone but also extends to the software developed by Facebook [67970]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the security flaw discovered in Tinder that allowed hackers to break into accounts using just the phone number. The flaw was attributed to a vulnerability in both Tinder's login process and a piece of Facebook-developed software that Tinder is based on. The flaw allowed attackers to access users' entire chat history without needing a password. This flaw was identified by researchers at Indian computer security firm Appsecure [67970].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is seen in the misuse of the access tokens by attackers to take over real Tinder accounts of other users. The flaw in Tinder's login system allowed attackers to use any other app's access token provided by Account Kit to access Tinder accounts. This misuse of the system's operation was identified by the researcher who discovered the flaw, Anand Prakash [67970]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident in this case was primarily due to a security flaw within the Tinder app and the Facebook-developed software it relied on. The flaw allowed hackers to access users' accounts by exploiting vulnerabilities in the login process and the handling of access tokens within the system itself. The issue was identified by researchers at Appsecure, who uncovered the bug and reported it to Tinder and Facebook for resolution [67970].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident also involved external factors, such as the use of Facebook's Account Kit for authentication. The flaw in the interaction between Tinder and Account Kit allowed attackers to manipulate access tokens and gain unauthorized access to Tinder accounts. While the vulnerability originated within the system's integration with external software, it ultimately impacted the security of the Tinder platform [67970]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
The software failure incident in the Tinder app was due to a security flaw that allowed hackers to break into user accounts using just their phone numbers. This flaw exploited vulnerabilities in both Tinder's login process and Facebook's Account Kit software, which the app relied on for authentication [67970].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
The security flaw in the Tinder app was discovered by researchers at an Indian computer security firm named Appsecure. The flaw was identified by Anand Prakash, who found that the Tinder API was not properly checking the client ID on the access token provided by Account Kit, allowing attackers to use any other app's access token to take over real Tinder accounts [67970]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident did not occur due to hardware issues. The incident was specifically related to a security flaw in the software of the Tinder dating app and a piece of Facebook-developed software that it relied on [67970].
(b) The software failure incident was caused by a security flaw in the software of the Tinder dating app. The flaw allowed hackers to access users' accounts by exploiting vulnerabilities in the app's login process and the Facebook-developed software it utilized for authentication. The flaw was identified by researchers at an Indian computer security firm, Appsecure, who found that the Tinder API was not properly checking access tokens provided by Account Kit, enabling attackers to take over real Tinder accounts of other users [67970]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was malicious. Hackers were able to exploit a security flaw in Tinder's login process and Facebook's Account Kit to gain unauthorized access to users' accounts without the need for a password. The hackers could access users' entire chat history, posing a significant threat to user privacy and security [67970]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Tinder security flaw can be attributed to poor decisions. The incident occurred due to a flaw in both Tinder's login process and a piece of Facebook-developed software it relied on. Specifically, the flaw allowed attackers to access users' entire chat history without needing a password by exploiting vulnerabilities in the authentication process involving phone numbers and access tokens [67970]. The fact that these vulnerabilities existed in the first place highlights the poor decisions made in the design and implementation of the software, leading to a significant security risk for users. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the security flaw discovered in the Tinder app. The flaw allowed hackers to break into users' accounts using just their phone numbers, without the need for a password. This vulnerability stemmed from a flaw in both Tinder's login process and a piece of Facebook-developed software that the app is based on. The issue was identified by researchers at the Indian computer security firm Appsecure, highlighting a lack of thorough security testing and validation in the development process [67970].
(b) The accidental aspect of the software failure incident is seen in the unintended consequences of the security flaw in the Tinder app. The flaw allowed attackers to access users' entire chat history without proper authentication, which was not the intended functionality of the app. Although the flaw was not intentionally designed, it was exploited due to oversight in the authentication process, leading to unauthorized access to user accounts [67970]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident in the article was temporary. The security flaw in the Tinder app that allowed hackers to break into accounts using just a phone number was identified by researchers at Indian computer security firm Appsecure. The vulnerabilities were quickly fixed by Tinder and Facebook after being reported by the researchers. Facebook rewarded the discoverer with $5,000 and Tinder paid out $1,250 as part of their bug reporting program [67970]. |
| Behaviour |
other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the article does not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. The incident is related to a security flaw that allows hackers to access Tinder accounts without the need for a password [67970].
(b) omission: The software failure incident does not involve omission where the system omits to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). Instead, the incident is about a security vulnerability that allows unauthorized access to user accounts [67970].
(c) timing: The software failure incident is not related to timing issues where the system performs its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The focus of the incident is on a security flaw that could be exploited by hackers to access user accounts [67970].
(d) value: The software failure incident is not about the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. It is about a security vulnerability that could lead to unauthorized access to user accounts [67970].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit a byzantine behavior where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The incident is centered around a security flaw that could be exploited to access user accounts [67970].
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident in the article is related to a security vulnerability that allows attackers to access Tinder accounts using just the phone number associated with the account. The flaw involves the authentication process between Tinder and Facebook's Account Kit, allowing unauthorized access to user accounts [67970]. |