| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to a serious bug in Windows 7 has happened again within the same organization, Microsoft. The article mentions that Microsoft is working on a fix for the problem in Windows 7, indicating a recurrence of a software vulnerability within their operating system [82456].
(b) The incident involving the serious bug in Windows 7 has also affected other organizations or their products and services. Google issued an update for its Chrome web browser to address the vulnerability that was being actively exploited by cyber-thieves in combination with a flaw in Chrome. This indicates that the software failure incident had implications beyond just Microsoft's Windows 7, impacting users of the Chrome browser as well [82456]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the article [82456]. The article mentions a "serious" bug in Windows 7 that could allow malicious hackers to take over computers. This bug is a vulnerability in core elements of the operating system that are supposed to prevent data in one program from interacting with anything outside that application. The flaw in the design of Windows 7's core elements allowed cyber-thieves to exploit it by combining it with a separate flaw found in the Chrome browser, enabling them to compromise machines.
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is also highlighted in the same article [82456]. The article mentions that criminal hackers were actively exploiting the vulnerability in Windows 7 by making attack code jump from Chrome into other applications to compromise machines. This exploitation is a result of the operation or misuse of the system, where users who did not update their Chrome browser were at risk of falling victim to the attack. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident reported in the article is primarily within the system. The vulnerability in Windows 7 and the flaw in the Chrome browser are internal to the software systems themselves, allowing malicious hackers to exploit the interaction between the two components to compromise a user's computer [82456]. The need for patches and updates within the system, such as updating Chrome to close the loophole, indicates that the failure is rooted within the software systems. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is primarily due to non-human actions, specifically a serious bug in Windows 7 that could allow malicious hackers to take over computers. Google has warned about the vulnerability being actively exploited by cyber-thieves, and a patch has been issued for the Chrome browser to address the loophole [82456]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The article mentions a "serious" bug in Windows 7 that could allow malicious hackers to take over computers [82456].
- The vulnerability is being actively exploited by cyber-thieves by combining it with a separate flaw found in the Chrome browser [82456].
- The flaw in Windows 7 allows attack code to jump from Chrome into other applications to compromise a machine [82456].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The vulnerability in Windows 7 and the flaw in Chrome are both software-related issues [82456].
- Google has issued an update for its Chrome web browser to address the loophole [82456].
- Microsoft is working on a fix for the problem in Windows 7 [82456]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident reported in Article 82456 is malicious in nature. Google warned about a "serious" bug in Windows 7 that could allow malicious hackers to take over users' computers. Cyber-thieves were actively exploiting the vulnerability by combining it with a separate flaw in the Chrome browser. The attack code could jump from Chrome into other applications to compromise a machine, indicating a deliberate attempt to harm the system [82456]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident reported in Article 82456 is more aligned with poor_decisions. The incident involves a serious bug in Windows 7 that could allow malicious hackers to take over computers. This vulnerability is being actively exploited by cyber-thieves who are combining it with a separate flaw found in the Chrome browser. Google has issued an update for Chrome to address the loophole, emphasizing the importance of users updating their browsers immediately. Microsoft is also working on a fix for the problem in Windows 7, but the seriousness of the flaw in Chrome required the software to be shut down and restarted for the patch to take effect. Despite the risks posed by this bug, millions of machines still run Windows 7, which is almost 10 years old. This situation highlights the consequences of poor decisions in software development and maintenance, such as not addressing critical vulnerabilities promptly. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is not attributed to development incompetence. Instead, it is a result of a serious bug in Windows 7 that could allow malicious hackers to take over computers, as reported by Google and Microsoft. The vulnerability was actively exploited by cyber-thieves who combined it with a separate flaw in the Chrome browser [82456].
(b) The software failure incident can be categorized as accidental, as it was not intentionally introduced by the developers or the development organization. It was a bug in the core elements of the Windows 7 operating system that was supposed to prevent data in one program from interacting with anything outside that application. The exploitation of this bug by criminal hackers was not intentional but accidental, leading to the need for urgent updates and patches to mitigate the risk [82456]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles is temporary. The incident involves a serious bug in Windows 7 that allows malicious hackers to take over computers by exploiting a vulnerability in the operating system and combining it with a separate flaw in the Chrome browser. Google has issued an update for Chrome to address the loophole, and Microsoft is also working on a fix for the problem in Windows 7. The urgency of the situation is highlighted by the need for users to update their Chrome installations immediately to protect against active exploitation [82456]. |
| Behaviour |
value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident described in the article is not related to a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions [82456].
(b) omission: The software failure incident is not due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s) [82456].
(c) timing: The failure is not related to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early [82456].
(d) value: The software failure incident is due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly, leading to a serious vulnerability that could allow malicious hackers to take over Windows 7 computers [82456].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident is not described as the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions [82456].
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident is related to a serious vulnerability in Windows 7 that is being actively exploited by cyber-thieves in combination with a flaw in the Chrome browser, leading to a situation where attack code can jump from Chrome into other applications to compromise a machine [82456]. |