| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to a critical vulnerability with Wi-Fi extenders from TP-Link, a popular router company, has happened within the same organization. IBM researchers found the vulnerability that allowed potential attackers to take control of the extender and redirect traffic to malware. TP-Link has released updates for the affected users in response to this incident [86007].
(b) The incident involving a critical vulnerability in Wi-Fi extenders affecting TP-Link products is a reminder that similar vulnerabilities can exist in products from other organizations as well. This incident highlights the importance of maintaining and patching devices to keep networks secure, as vulnerabilities are not unique to a single company but can be found in various products across different organizations [86007]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the vulnerability found in Wi-Fi extenders from TP-Link. Security researchers from IBM discovered a critical vulnerability that allowed potential attackers to gain control of the extender, redirect victim's traffic, and lead people to malware. This vulnerability was a result of flaws in the design of the Wi-Fi extenders, making them susceptible to exploitation [86007].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is highlighted by the fact that the potential attacker did not need to be within the extender's Wi-Fi range to exploit the vulnerability. The attack worked by sending a malicious HTTP request to the Wi-Fi extender, showcasing how the operation or misuse of the system could lead to security breaches and unauthorized access [86007]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article is within_system. The vulnerability in the Wi-Fi extenders from TP-Link, which allowed potential attackers to take control of the extender and execute commands, originated from within the system itself. The flaw was discovered by an IBM X-Force researcher, and TP-Link released updates to address the issue [86007]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is primarily due to non-human actions, specifically a critical vulnerability found in Wi-Fi extenders from TP-Link. The vulnerability allowed potential attackers to gain control of the extender, redirect victim's traffic, and lead people to malware without human intervention. The flaw was discovered by an IBM X-Force researcher, and TP-Link released updates to address the issue [86007].
(b) Additionally, human actions play a role in this incident as well. The need for maintenance and patching of devices like Wi-Fi extenders is highlighted to keep networks secure. Failure to regularly update and secure these devices can leave them vulnerable to exploitation by attackers. Lack of timely response from TP-Link to comment on the issue also reflects a human element in addressing software vulnerabilities [86007]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The vulnerability found in Wi-Fi extenders from TP-Link, as reported by IBM researchers, allowed potential attackers to gain control of the extender and redirect victim's traffic, potentially leading to malware infections [86007].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The vulnerability in TP-Link's Wi-Fi extenders was due to a flaw in the software of the devices, which allowed attackers to execute commands through malicious HTTP requests, exploiting the software vulnerability [86007]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is malicious. Security researchers from IBM discovered a critical vulnerability in Wi-Fi extenders from TP-Link that could allow potential attackers to gain control of the extender, redirect victims' traffic, lead people to malware, and execute commands on the device's operating system [86007]. The attacker could exploit this vulnerability remotely without needing to be within the extender's Wi-Fi range, potentially carrying out more sophisticated malicious activities like redirecting users to pages with malware or using the routers as part of a botnet. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident related to poor_decisions:
- The software failure incident involving a critical vulnerability in Wi-Fi extenders from TP-Link was due to poor decisions in terms of security measures implemented by the company.
- Security researchers from IBM discovered the vulnerability that allowed potential attackers to take control of the extender and redirect traffic to malware, indicating a lack of robust security measures [86007]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the vulnerability found in Wi-Fi extenders from TP-Link. Security researchers from IBM discovered a critical vulnerability that allowed potential attackers to take control of the extender, redirect victim's traffic, and lead people to malware [86007]. This vulnerability was a result of a flaw in the design or implementation of the Wi-Fi extenders, indicating a lack of professional competence in ensuring the security of the devices.
(b) The accidental aspect of the software failure incident is highlighted by the fact that the potential attacker did not need to be within the extender's Wi-Fi range to exploit the vulnerability. The attack worked by sending a malicious HTTP request to the Wi-Fi extender, indicating that the vulnerability was unintentionally present in the device's software [86007]. This accidental flaw allowed attackers to execute commands and potentially carry out malicious activities on the affected devices. |
| Duration |
permanent |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article is more likely to be permanent. The vulnerability in the Wi-Fi extenders from TP-Link allowed potential attackers to gain control of the devices, leading to the redirection of traffic and potential malware installation. This critical vulnerability posed a significant risk to users' security and privacy, indicating a permanent failure until patches were released by TP-Link to address the issue [86007]. |
| Behaviour |
omission, value, 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 [86007].
(b) omission: The vulnerability in the Wi-Fi extenders allowed potential attackers to exploit the system by redirecting traffic and leading people to malware, indicating an omission in performing its intended functions securely [86007].
(c) timing: The software failure incident is not related to timing issues where the system performs its intended functions too late or too early [86007].
(d) value: The vulnerability in the Wi-Fi extenders led to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly by allowing attackers to execute commands and potentially carry out malicious activities [86007].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit byzantine behavior with inconsistent responses and interactions [86007].
(f) other: The other behavior observed in the software failure incident is a security vulnerability that allowed attackers to gain control of the Wi-Fi extenders, potentially leading to various malicious activities such as redirecting users to malware-infected pages and using the routers as part of a botnet [86007]. |