| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to a security flaw in Fortnite exposing player accounts to hackers has happened again within the same organization. The vulnerability allowing hackers to obtain log-in information and take control of accounts was discovered by gaming security experts [80744]. Epic Games, the developers of Fortnite, were alerted to the weakness by researchers and have since fixed the loophole to address the issue [80744].
(b) There is no information in the provided article about a similar incident happening at other organizations or with their products and services. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the article. The vulnerability in the log-in procedure of Fortnite, discovered by researchers from Check Point, allowed hackers to obtain log-in information and take control of player accounts [80744]. This flaw in the design of the system's log-in process contributed to the security breach.
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is also highlighted in the article. The article mentions that if users accidentally click on a hoax phishing link that appears to come from a legitimate Epic Games domain, hackers can seize the token used in the log-in procedure, giving them control over the account [80744]. This indicates that the failure was also influenced by the operation or misuse of the system by users. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident in the Fortnite game was due to a security flaw within the system itself. The vulnerability in the log-in procedure of Fortnite allowed hackers to obtain log-in information and take control of player accounts [80744]. This flaw in the system's token-oriented log-in procedure enabled criminals to seize the token through a phishing link, granting them unauthorized access to user accounts. The weakness was identified by gaming security experts, and Epic Games, the developers of Fortnite, were able to fix the loophole after being alerted by researchers [80744].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident was also influenced by factors originating from outside the system, specifically the actions of hackers who exploited the vulnerability in the Fortnite game. Hackers targeted the game due to the large user base and the sensitive customer data held by platforms like Fortnite [80744]. The criminals used external phishing links to trick users into revealing their log-in credentials, which then allowed them to manipulate the system from the outside. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case occurred due to non-human_actions, specifically a security flaw in the gaming sensation Fortnite that exposed player accounts to hackers. The vulnerability in the game allowed criminals to obtain log-in information and take control, accessing personal information and using card details to buy in-game currency. The flaw was discovered by gaming security experts from Check Point, who found weaknesses in the log-in procedure of Fortnite, which used a token-oriented procedure. This flaw could be exploited if users accidentally clicked on a hoax phishing link, allowing hackers to seize the token and take over the account [80744].
(b) The software failure incident was also influenced by human_actions, as the developers of Fortnite, Epic Games, were alerted to the weakness by the researchers and subsequently fixed the loophole. Epic Games acknowledged the vulnerabilities and addressed them promptly after being made aware by Check Point. They also emphasized the importance of players protecting their accounts by using strong passwords, not re-using passwords, and not sharing account information with others [80744]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The article does not mention any hardware-related contributing factors that led to the software failure incident. Therefore, it is unknown if hardware played a role in this specific incident.
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The software failure incident in this case was due to a security flaw in the popular game Fortnite, which exposed player accounts to hackers. The vulnerability was found in the log-in procedure of Fortnite, specifically in the token-oriented procedure used for authentication. Hackers were able to obtain log-in information and take control of user accounts by exploiting this software flaw [80744]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Fortnite security flaw can be categorized as malicious. The incident involved a security flaw that exposed player accounts to hackers, allowing them to obtain log-in information, access personal information, and potentially use card details to buy in-game currency [80744]. The vulnerability was discovered by gaming security experts, and it was highlighted that hackers could take control of user accounts by exploiting the weaknesses in the log-in procedure of Fortnite. The incident was described as a massive invasion of privacy, indicating malicious intent on the part of the hackers [80744]. Additionally, the recommendation to enforce two-factor authentication to mitigate the account takeover vulnerability further emphasizes the malicious nature of the software failure incident. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident was not due to poor decisions but rather due to a security flaw in the log-in procedure of Fortnite, which allowed hackers to obtain log-in information and take control of player accounts [80744]. The vulnerability was discovered by gaming security experts, and once Epic Games was alerted to the weakness, they promptly fixed the loophole to address the issue. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article. The security flaw in the gaming sensation Fortnite that exposed player accounts to hackers was due to a vulnerability found by gaming security experts. The weakness in the game's login procedure, which allowed criminals to obtain login information and take control, was a result of a flaw in the development of the game's security measures. This flaw provided the ability for a massive invasion of privacy, especially concerning as Fortnite is a game played mainly by kids [80744].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is also present in the article. The vulnerability in Fortnite's login procedure could be exploited if users accidentally clicked on a hoax phishing link that appeared to come from a legitimate Epic Games domain. This accidental action by users could lead to hackers seizing the token and gaining control over the account, showcasing how accidental actions by users could contribute to the software failure incident [80744]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident related to the security flaw in Fortnite exposing player accounts to hackers can be categorized as a temporary failure. This is evident from the fact that the vulnerability in the game was discovered by researchers from Check Point, who then alerted Epic Games about the weakness. Epic Games subsequently fixed the loophole, indicating that the failure was temporary and not permanent [80744]. |
| Behaviour |
omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the article is not related to a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions [80744].
(b) omission: The vulnerability in the Fortnite game allowed criminals to obtain log-in information and take control of user accounts, indicating an omission in the system's security measures that should have prevented unauthorized access [80744].
(c) timing: The timing of the software failure incident is not relevant in this context as the issue is related to a security flaw that allowed hackers to exploit the system [80744].
(d) value: The software failure incident is related to a value failure where the system performed its intended functions incorrectly by allowing unauthorized access to user accounts and personal information [80744].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit characteristics of a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions [80744].
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident in the article can be categorized as a security vulnerability that led to unauthorized access to user accounts and personal information, which is not explicitly covered in the options provided [80744]. |