| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to vulnerabilities in Verizon's Fios Quantum Gateway router is an example of a similar incident happening again within the same organization. The article mentions that last year, Russian hackers infected more than 500,000 routers in 54 countries with malware that could cut off internet access and steal login credentials, indicating a previous incident [83530].
(b) The software failure incident involving vulnerabilities in routers is not explicitly mentioned to have happened at other organizations in the provided article. Therefore, there is no information to suggest a similar incident occurring at multiple organizations. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the vulnerabilities discovered in Verizon's Fios Quantum Gateway router. Security researchers from Tenable detailed three vulnerabilities related to login and password information on the router, which could allow attackers to take over the devices [83530]. These vulnerabilities were a result of flaws in the Access Control rules in the router's firewall settings, indicating a design flaw in the system development process.
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the fact that a small percentage of Verizon customers did not receive the automatic update for the router's security patch. This failure in operation led to the need for manual intervention to ensure that all users were protected from potential attacks [83530]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Verizon Fios Quantum Gateway router vulnerabilities can be categorized as within_system. The vulnerabilities were found within the router's firewall settings, specifically related to Access Control rules [83530]. Verizon acknowledged the vulnerabilities and issued a fix to address the security flaws within their system. The need for a patch to be applied to the routers affected by the vulnerabilities further indicates that the failure originated from within the system itself. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was primarily due to non-human actions, specifically vulnerabilities in Verizon's Fios Quantum Gateway router that could allow attackers to take over the devices. Security researchers from Tenable detailed three vulnerabilities in the router, which were disclosed to Verizon in December [83530].
(b) Human actions also played a role in this software failure incident. Verizon took immediate action upon being made aware of the vulnerabilities and issued a fix on March 13. The company acknowledged the need for patches and updates to address the security flaws, indicating a response driven by human actions to mitigate the risks posed by the vulnerabilities [83530]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident in the article is related to hardware vulnerabilities in Verizon's Fios Quantum Gateway router. Security researchers discovered three vulnerabilities in the router that could allow attackers to take over the devices [83530].
(b) The software failure incident is also related to software vulnerabilities in the router's firmware. The vulnerabilities stem from Access Control rules in the router's firewall settings, which allowed potential attackers to gain complete control of the router if they had the necessary credentials [83530]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is malicious. Security researchers discovered vulnerabilities in Verizon's Fios Quantum Gateway router that could allow attackers to take over the devices. The vulnerabilities were related to login and password information on the router, which could potentially allow an attacker to take control of smart devices connected to the router and steal passwords on the network [83530]. Additionally, the article mentions a previous incident where Russian hackers infected over 500,000 routers with malware to cut off internet access and steal login credentials, highlighting the potential for significant abuse if the routers are compromised. Verizon took immediate action to remediate the vulnerabilities and issued patches to address the security flaws. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Verizon Fios Quantum Gateway router vulnerabilities can be attributed to poor decisions made in the design and implementation of the router's firmware and security features. The vulnerabilities discovered by security researchers were related to login and password information on the router, indicating potential oversights or shortcomings in the access control rules and firewall settings [83530]. Verizon acknowledged the vulnerabilities and took immediate action to issue patches, indicating a recognition of the poor decisions that led to the security flaws. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as security researchers from Tenable discovered vulnerabilities in Verizon's Fios Quantum Gateway router [83530]. These vulnerabilities allowed potential attackers to take control of smart devices connected to the router and steal passwords on the network. The fact that these vulnerabilities were present in a widely used router model indicates a lack of professional competence in ensuring robust security measures during the development and testing phases.
(b) The accidental aspect of the software failure incident is highlighted by the fact that Verizon was made aware of the vulnerabilities related to login and password information on the router only after the security researchers disclosed them in December [83530]. Verizon took immediate action to remediate the vulnerabilities and issue patches, indicating that the vulnerabilities were not intentionally introduced but were accidental oversights in the development and testing processes. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is temporary. The vulnerabilities in Verizon's Fios Quantum Gateway router were discovered by security researchers, disclosed to Verizon, and a fix was issued on March 13 [83530]. The vulnerabilities required specific conditions for exploitation, such as being within range of a vulnerable router and knowing the network password. Verizon took immediate action to remediate the vulnerabilities and is sending out patches to ensure the safety of its users. |
| 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 vulnerabilities discovered in Verizon's Fios Quantum Gateway router did not lead to a complete system crash but rather allowed potential attackers to take control of the devices and steal passwords on the network [83530].
(b) omission: The software failure incident does not involve omission where the system omits to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). The vulnerabilities in the router did not result in the system omitting any of its intended functions but rather exposed security flaws that could be exploited by attackers [83530].
(c) timing: The software failure incident does not involve timing issues where the system performs its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The vulnerabilities in the router did not relate to timing issues but rather to security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers [83530].
(d) value: The software failure incident does not involve a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The vulnerabilities in Verizon's Fios Quantum Gateway router did not cause the system to perform its functions incorrectly but rather allowed potential attackers to take control of the devices and steal passwords on the network [83530].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not involve a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The vulnerabilities in the router did not lead to inconsistent responses or interactions but rather exposed security flaws that could be exploited by attackers [83530].
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident in the article can be categorized as a security vulnerability that could potentially lead to unauthorized access and control of the router, as well as the theft of passwords on the network. The incident highlights the importance of promptly addressing and patching such vulnerabilities to ensure the security of users' devices and data [83530]. |