| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to Huawei Matebook laptops having a flaw that could be used to take control of machines is a concerning issue that raises questions about the software engineering processes within Huawei. The flaw, described as a "backdoor," was corrected by Huawei after being notified about it in January [83518]. This incident highlights the importance of ensuring robust software development and testing practices to prevent such vulnerabilities from being introduced at the manufacturing stage within the organization.
(b) The article mentions that the flaw in Huawei Matebook laptops had the hallmarks of a "backdoor" created by the US's National Security Agency, which was leaked online and has been used by various hackers, including state-sponsored and criminal groups. This suggests that similar software vulnerabilities or incidents may have occurred in the past with other organizations or products, as the tool linked to the NSA has been utilized by a wide range of hackers [83518]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the article. The flaw in Huawei Matebook laptops, described as a "sophisticated flaw," was likely introduced at the manufacturing stage, indicating a design-related issue [83518]. This flaw could have been used to take control of the machines, highlighting a significant vulnerability that was present in the design of the laptops.
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article. Therefore, there is no specific information available regarding any failure due to contributing factors introduced by the operation or misuse of the system. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the Huawei Matebook laptops was a result of a flaw that was likely introduced at the manufacturing stage. This flaw, described as a "sophisticated flaw," could have been used to take control of the machines. The article mentions that the flaw had the hallmarks of a "backdoor" and was corrected by Huawei after being notified about it in January. The incident raises questions about how the software engineering processes allowed such a flaw to be present in the laptops [83518].
(b) outside_system: The article does not provide specific information indicating that the software failure incident was due to contributing factors originating from outside the system. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the Huawei Matebook laptops was likely due to a flaw that had probably been introduced at the manufacturing stage, indicating a non-human action. The flaw had the hallmarks of a "backdoor" created by the US's National Security Agency, which was leaked online and could have been used by various hackers, including state-sponsored and criminal groups. The path by which the flaw came to be there is unknown, and it could be related to organized crime gangs interfering with the supply chain or geopolitical motives to discredit Huawei [83518].
(b) The software engineering processes that allowed the flaw to exist on the Huawei laptops were questioned by Prof Alan Woodward. He highlighted concerns about how such a sophisticated flaw could have been present in the laptops and how it could impact people's trust in Huawei. The British intelligence community also expressed limited assurances regarding the long-term security risks posed by Huawei, indicating human actions and decisions in managing security risks related to the company [83518]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident in the Huawei Matebook laptops was attributed to a flaw that was likely introduced at the manufacturing stage, indicating a hardware-related issue. The flaw could have been used to take control of the machines, and it had the characteristics of a "backdoor" that could have been exploited by various hackers [83518].
(b) The software failure incident was also related to software engineering processes that allowed the flaw to exist in the laptops. The incident raised questions about how such a vulnerability made its way into the devices and highlighted concerns about software security practices [83518]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Huawei Matebook laptops was considered potentially malicious. The flaw found in the laptops, described as a "sophisticated flaw," had the hallmarks of a "backdoor" created by the US's National Security Agency to spy on computers. This flaw could have been used to take control of the machines, raising concerns about potential malicious intent behind its introduction [83518].
(b) There is no direct evidence or indication in the articles that the software failure incident was non-malicious. The focus of the discussion and analysis by experts revolved around the potential malicious nature of the flaw found in the Huawei laptops, with considerations about state-sponsored hackers, criminal gangs, or geopolitical motives behind its introduction [83518]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Huawei Matebook laptops had the potential to be a result of poor decisions. The flaw, described as a "sophisticated flaw" by experts, was believed to have been introduced at the manufacturing stage, possibly indicating a deliberate backdoor. Prof Alan Woodward mentioned that the flaw had the hallmarks of a "backdoor" created by the US's National Security Agency, which could have been used for spying purposes. However, he also highlighted that the path by which it came to be there is unknown, suggesting that poor decisions or malicious intent could have been contributing factors [83518]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as it mentions a "sophisticated flaw" in Huawei Matebook laptops that could have been used to take control of machines. The flaw was likely introduced at the manufacturing stage, indicating a potential oversight or lack of professional competence during the development process [83518].
(b) The article also hints at the possibility of the failure being accidental. It mentions that the flaw was corrected by Huawei after being notified about it in January, suggesting that it may not have been intentionally introduced but rather an unintended consequence of the manufacturing or development process [83518]. |
| Duration |
unknown |
The articles do not provide specific information regarding the duration of the software failure incident related to the Huawei Matebook laptops flaw. The focus is more on the nature of the flaw itself, its potential implications, and the various speculations surrounding its origin and impact. Therefore, it is unknown whether the software failure incident was permanent or temporary based on the information provided in the articles. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The article mentions a flaw in Huawei Matebook laptops that could have been used to take control of machines, indicating a potential crash scenario where the system loses control and does not perform its intended functions [83518].
(b) omission: The flaw in the Huawei laptops could be considered an omission failure as it omitted to perform its intended functions securely, leading to the potential exploitation of the backdoor [83518].
(c) timing: There is no specific mention of a timing-related failure in the article [83518].
(d) value: The software failure incident in the Huawei laptops could be categorized as a value failure as the flaw allowed for the system to perform its intended functions incorrectly by potentially enabling unauthorized access and control [83518].
(e) byzantine: The article does not describe the software failure incident as exhibiting byzantine behavior with inconsistent responses or interactions [83518].
(f) other: The other behavior exhibited by the software failure incident in the Huawei laptops could be considered a security vulnerability, as the flaw potentially allowed for unauthorized access and control of the machines, posing a significant risk to users' data and privacy [83518]. |