| Recurring |
multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to serious security flaws in the UPnP protocol has happened again within multiple organizations. The vulnerabilities were found in both the Portable UPnP SDK and MiniUPnP software libraries, affecting over 6,900 product versions from over 1,500 vendors [16453]. The incident highlights the challenge of ensuring that all affected devices receive necessary updates to fix the flaws, as many network equipment manufacturers may not update older products, leaving users vulnerable to remote compromise until UPnP is disabled or devices are replaced [16453].
(b) The software failure incident involving serious security flaws in the UPnP protocol has also affected multiple organizations. Rapid7, the computer security firm that uncovered the flaws, alerted electronics makers such as Belkin, D-Link, Cisco Systems Inc's Linksys division, and Netgear about the vulnerabilities through the CERT Coordination Center [16453]. CERT, in turn, attempted to contact over 200 companies identified as having vulnerable devices, indicating that the impact of the software failure extended beyond a single organization to various manufacturers and their products [16453]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the discovery of serious security flaws in the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocol. Researchers found vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to steal passwords, documents, take remote control of devices like webcams, printers, and security systems connected to the internet [16453].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is highlighted by the fact that over 80 million unique IPs were identified that responded to UPnP discovery requests from the internet, with 40 to 50 million IPs being vulnerable to attacks. The vulnerabilities in the UPnP software libraries, including the Portable UPnP SDK and MiniUPnP software, exposed millions of devices to remote compromise. Despite fixes being available, it will take time for device manufacturers to incorporate the patches, leaving users exposed until updates are implemented or UPnP is disabled [16453]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the UPnP protocol flaws can be categorized as within_system. The flaws were found within the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) component itself, which is embedded in various devices like routers, printers, media players, and smart TVs. The vulnerabilities allowed hackers to exploit the protocol to steal passwords, documents, take remote control of devices, and potentially execute remote code. The flaws were identified in the UPnP software libraries, such as the Portable UPnP SDK and MiniUPnP software, indicating that the issues originated from within the system [16453]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is primarily due to non-human actions, specifically serious security flaws in the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocol that were uncovered by researchers [16453]. These flaws allowed hackers to potentially steal passwords, documents, take remote control of devices, and exploit vulnerabilities in network-enabled devices. The vulnerabilities were found in the UPnP protocol itself, indicating that the failure was introduced without direct human participation in the form of intentional malicious actions.
(b) However, human actions also played a role in this software failure incident. The need for device manufacturers to build updates for each of their products to fix the flaws in the UPnP protocol highlights the human action required to address the vulnerabilities. Additionally, the delay in incorporating patches by various vendors and the continued use of older versions of software despite fixes being available demonstrate the impact of human decisions and actions on the persistence of the software failure incident [16453]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is primarily related to hardware. The security flaws were found in the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocol, which is a component embedded in various devices like routers, printers, media players, and smart TVs to facilitate network communication [16453]. The vulnerabilities identified in the UPnP protocol could allow hackers to exploit hardware devices connected to the internet, such as webcams, printers, and security systems. The flaws were not inherent to the hardware itself but rather in the protocol that facilitates communication between devices.
(b) The software failure incident is also related to software. The flaws identified in the UPnP protocol were due to serious security vulnerabilities in the software libraries used by various devices. For example, the Portable UPnP SDK and MiniUPnP software libraries were found to contain remotely exploitable vulnerabilities, putting millions of devices at risk [16453]. The need for software updates to fix these vulnerabilities highlights the software aspect of the failure incident. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is malicious. Researchers uncovered serious security flaws in the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocol that could allow hackers to steal passwords, documents, take remote control of devices like webcams, printers, and security systems connected to the internet [16453]. The flaws were found to be remotely exploitable, and although fixes are available, it would require device manufacturers to build updates for each of their products to address the vulnerabilities. The security firm Rapid7 and the U.S. government are urging users to disable UPnP or use devices that avoid it entirely to mitigate the risks of exploitation [16453]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident:
The software failure incident related to the UPnP security flaws can be attributed to poor decisions made in the design and implementation of the protocol. The flaws allowed for serious security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers to steal passwords, documents, take remote control of devices, and potentially compromise the security of millions of network-enabled devices [16453]. The vulnerabilities were found in widely used UPnP software libraries, indicating a lack of robust security measures in the development process. Additionally, the delay in fixing the vulnerabilities and the challenge of getting device manufacturers to implement updates highlight the consequences of poor decisions in software design and maintenance. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the discovery of serious security flaws in the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocol. Researchers found vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to steal passwords, documents, take remote control of devices, and exploit over 40 to 50 million network-enabled devices [16453].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is seen in the presence of vulnerabilities in the UPnP protocol that were not intentionally created but were discovered as flaws in the system. These vulnerabilities were not part of the intended design but were accidental weaknesses that could be exploited by hackers [16453]. |
| Duration |
permanent |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article is more likely to be considered permanent. The security flaws in the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocol were identified as serious and widespread, affecting nearly 7,000 different kinds of devices. The vulnerabilities allowed hackers to steal passwords, documents, take remote control of devices, and potentially execute remote code. While fixes were available for the software libraries, each device manufacturer would need to build updates for their products to address the flaws. Additionally, the article mentions that network equipment that is "no longer shipping" may not be updated at all, leaving users exposed to remote compromise until UPnP is disabled or replaced with new products [16453]. |
| Behaviour |
omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The articles do not mention any instances of a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions.
(b) omission: The software failure incident related to the UPnP protocol flaws can be categorized under omission as the flaws allowed hackers to potentially steal passwords and documents, take remote control of devices, and exploit vulnerabilities in network-enabled devices [16453].
(c) timing: The articles do not mention any instances of a timing failure where the system performs its intended functions but does so too late or too early.
(d) value: The software failure incident can be categorized under value as the flaws in the UPnP protocol allowed hackers to perform unauthorized actions on devices connected to the internet, compromising the security and integrity of the affected devices [16453].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not align with a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be described as a security vulnerability leading to potential unauthorized access and control of network-enabled devices, emphasizing the critical importance of addressing such flaws promptly to prevent exploitation [16453]. |