| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to data exposure and improper storage of user data on Amazon's cloud computing servers involving Facebook has happened before within the same organization. Facebook has faced previous data privacy scandals, including the Cambridge Analytica incident where data from millions of users was accessed without their knowledge [83491].
(b) The incident involving data exposure and improper storage of user data on Amazon's servers is not unique to Facebook. Similar incidents of data breaches and unauthorized access have occurred at other organizations as well, highlighting a broader issue in the industry regarding data security and privacy [83491]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be attributed to the way third-party Facebook app developers stored user data on Amazon's cloud computing servers. The incident occurred because the developers stored data in a way that allowed it to be downloaded by the public, highlighting a problem with mass data collection [83491].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can be seen in the fact that Facebook allowed third-party developers to integrate apps and websites with its platform, leading to the exposure of user data. This incident occurred due to the operation of Facebook's platform, which allowed app developers to harvest data in mass, ultimately leading to the data exposure on Amazon's servers [83491]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident in the article is primarily due to the way two third-party Facebook app developers stored user data on Amazon's cloud computing servers, allowing it to be downloaded by the public [83491]. This failure originated within the system as a result of how the developers handled and stored the data, leading to the exposure of sensitive information. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in Article 83491 occurred due to non-human actions. The incident involved a vast collection of Facebook user data being exposed on Amazon's cloud computing servers due to the way two third-party Facebook app developers stored the data, allowing it to be downloaded by the public [83491]. This exposure of data was not a direct result of human actions but rather a consequence of how the data was stored and accessed on the servers. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The incident reported in the article does not directly point to a hardware failure as the root cause. The exposure of Facebook user data on Amazon's cloud computing servers was due to the way two third-party Facebook app developers stored the data, indicating a failure in data security protocols rather than hardware issues [83491].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The software failure incident reported in the article is primarily related to software issues. The exposure of Facebook user data on Amazon's servers was a result of how the third-party app developers stored the data, indicating a failure in software implementation and data security measures [83491]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident reported in Article 83491 is non-malicious. The incident involved a vast collection of Facebook user data being exposed to the public due to two third-party Facebook app developers storing the data on Amazon's cloud computing servers in a way that allowed it to be downloaded by the public. This exposure of user data was not intentional harm to the system but rather a result of improper data storage practices by the app developers [83491]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the exposure of Facebook user data on Amazon's cloud computing servers can be attributed to poor decisions made by the third-party Facebook app developers. These developers stored user data on Amazon's servers in a way that allowed it to be downloaded by the public, leading to a massive data breach [83491]. Additionally, Facebook's policy prohibits storing user information in a public database, indicating a lack of proper decision-making by the developers in handling sensitive data [83491]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as it mentions how two third-party Facebook app developers stored user data on Amazon's servers in a way that allowed it to be downloaded by the public. This indicates a lack of professional competence in handling sensitive user data securely [83491].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is also present in the article as it describes how the data exposure on Amazon's cloud computing servers was discovered by researchers from UpGuard. The exposure of data was accidental in nature, as it was not intended for public access but was found to be accessible due to the way it was stored by the app developers [83491]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident reported in Article 83491 can be categorized as a temporary failure. The incident involved a vast collection of Facebook user data being exposed on Amazon's cloud computing servers due to the actions of two third-party Facebook app developers. This exposure was not a permanent failure but rather a temporary one caused by specific circumstances, such as the developers storing the data in an insecure manner on the servers. Once the issue was identified, Facebook worked with Amazon to take down the exposed databases, indicating that the failure was not permanent but rather temporary in nature [83491]. |
| Behaviour |
value, other |
(a) crash: The incident reported in the article does not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. The issue here is related to data exposure and improper storage rather than a system crash [83491].
(b) omission: The incident does not involve a failure due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). Instead, the issue is related to the improper storage of user data by third-party app developers on Amazon's servers [83491].
(c) timing: The incident is not related to a failure due to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The core issue here is the exposure of user data due to improper storage practices rather than timing-related failures [83491].
(d) value: The software failure incident is primarily related to a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. In this case, the incorrect function was the storage of user data in a way that allowed public access, violating Facebook's policies [83491].
(e) byzantine: The incident does not involve a failure due to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The issue is more straightforward in terms of data exposure and improper data storage practices [83491].
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be categorized as a failure due to improper data handling and storage practices by third-party app developers, leading to the exposure of user data on Amazon's servers. This behavior falls under the category of data privacy and security breaches rather than specific software malfunctions like crashes or timing issues [83491]. |