| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to Apple's iMessage vulnerabilities has happened again within the same organization. Google's Project Zero team uncovered five flaws in Apple's iMessage software, with one vulnerability severe enough to require deleting all data off a targeted iPhone. Additionally, a sixth problem was flagged to Apple but not rectified in the update to its mobile operating system [Article 87184]. This indicates a recurrence of software vulnerabilities within Apple's products.
(b) The software failure incident related to Apple's iMessage vulnerabilities has also happened at multiple organizations. Google's Project Zero team has previously alerted other companies like Microsoft, Facebook, and Samsung to problems with their code, indicating that software vulnerabilities are not unique to Apple and can affect various organizations [Article 87184]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the article [87184]. Google's bug-hunters identified five flaws in Apple's iMessage software that could potentially make Apple devices vulnerable to attacks. These vulnerabilities were severe enough to require Apple to release fixes to address them. Additionally, the researchers flagged a sixth problem to Apple, which had not been rectified in the update to its mobile operating system. This highlights a failure in the design phase where vulnerabilities were present in the system development or updates, making the devices susceptible to exploitation.
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is also apparent in the same article [87184]. The identified flaws in Apple's iMessage software could be exploited to copy files off a device without requiring the owner to do anything to aid the hack. This indicates that the operation or misuse of the system could lead to unauthorized access and data extraction from the device, showcasing a failure in the operation phase of the software system. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident reported in the articles is primarily within the system. The flaws in Apple's iMessage software were identified by bug-hunters at Google, indicating that the vulnerabilities originated from within the iMessage app itself. Apple released fixes for the identified flaws, but there was one unfixed flaw that could allow hackers to crash an app or execute commands on Apple devices [87184]. This indicates that the failure was primarily due to issues within the iMessage software that needed to be addressed by Apple through software updates. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
The software failure incident in this case was primarily due to five flaws in Apple's iMessage software that were identified by bug-hunters at Google [87184]. These flaws could potentially make Apple devices vulnerable to attacks, with one vulnerability being severe enough to require deleting all data off a targeted iPhone for rescue. Additionally, one of the identified flaws could allow copying files off a device without any action required from the device owner. Apple released fixes for these flaws, but a sixth problem identified by the researchers had not been rectified in the update to Apple's mobile operating system.
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
The article does not provide specific information about the software failure incident being caused by human actions. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The article reports that a team of bug-hunters at Google discovered five flaws in Apple's iMessage software that could make its devices vulnerable to attack, with one vulnerability being so severe that the only way to rescue a targeted iPhone would be to delete all the data off it [Article 87184].
- The researchers also mentioned that one of the vulnerabilities could be used to copy files off a device without requiring the owner to do anything to aid the hack [Article 87184].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The article highlights that Apple released fixes for the discovered flaws in its iMessage software [Article 87184].
- It is mentioned that Apple had not rectified a sixth problem flagged by the researchers in the update to its mobile operating system [Article 87184].
- The article also notes that Apple's own notes about iOS 12.4 indicate that an unfixed flaw could give hackers a means to crash an app or execute commands on recent iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches if discovered [Article 87184]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Google researchers revealing flaws in Apple's iMessage software can be categorized as malicious. The vulnerabilities identified by the bug-hunters at Google could potentially make Apple devices vulnerable to attacks, with one vulnerability being severe enough to require deleting all data off a targeted iPhone to rescue it. Additionally, the level of detail shared by Google about the bugs could enable bad actors to craft exploits to take advantage of them, indicating a malicious intent [87184]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Google researchers revealing flaws in Apple's iMessage software could be attributed to poor_decisions. The vulnerabilities discovered in iMessage were severe, with one requiring the deletion of all data on a targeted iPhone to rescue it and another allowing the copying of files without the owner's involvement. Despite Apple releasing fixes for some of the flaws, the researchers identified a sixth problem that had not been rectified in the update to the mobile operating system [87184]. This indicates that there may have been poor decisions in the software development process that led to these critical vulnerabilities being present in the iMessage app. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as Google's Project Zero team discovered five flaws in Apple's iMessage software that could potentially make Apple devices vulnerable to attacks. The severity of one vulnerability was such that the only way to rescue a targeted iPhone would be to delete all the data off it. Additionally, the researchers found a sixth problem that Apple had not rectified in the update to its mobile operating system, indicating a potential oversight in addressing critical vulnerabilities [Article 87184].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is highlighted by the fact that Apple released fixes for the vulnerabilities identified by Google's Project Zero team. The urgency of the situation was emphasized by the need for users to install the new version of iOS promptly to address the discovered flaws and threats. The level of detail shared by Google about the bugs raised concerns that bad actors could potentially exploit the vulnerabilities if users did not update their devices quickly [Article 87184]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident related to the flaws in Apple's iMessage software can be considered as a temporary failure. The vulnerabilities identified by the Google bug-hunters were addressed by Apple through fixes released last week [Article 87184]. This indicates that the software failure was not permanent and was mitigated by the software updates provided by Apple in response to the identified flaws. |
| Behaviour |
crash, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident mentioned in the articles includes a vulnerability that could give hackers a means to crash an app or execute commands of their own on recent iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches if they were able to discover it. Apple has not commented on this specific issue but has urged users to install the new version of iOS to address this issue [87184].
(b) omission: The articles do not specifically mention a failure due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s).
(c) timing: The articles do not mention a failure due to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early.
(d) value: The software failure incident includes five flaws in Apple's iMessage software that could make its devices vulnerable to attack. One of the vulnerabilities was severe enough that the only way to rescue a targeted iPhone would be to delete all the data off it. Another flaw could be used to copy files off a device without requiring the owner to do anything to aid the hack [87184].
(e) byzantine: The articles do not mention a failure due to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident includes the discovery of multiple vulnerabilities in Apple's iMessage software by the Google Project Zero team, which could potentially lead to attacks on Apple devices. Additionally, the failure involves Apple releasing fixes for some of the identified flaws but not addressing a sixth problem flagged by the researchers. The level of detail shared by Google about the bugs could allow bad actors to craft exploits to take advantage of them [87184]. |