| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Walkie-Talkie app on the Apple Watch is not the first time Apple has faced privacy-related issues with its products. Just months before this incident, Apple was forced to disable a FaceTime calling feature due to a major privacy flaw [87389]. This indicates a pattern of privacy-related software failures within the same organization.
(b) In addition to Apple's previous FaceTime privacy issue, the article mentions another separate bug involving the Zoom video chat app that led Apple to delete Zoom server software from all Macs globally. This bug allowed malicious actors to remotely turn on Mac webcams [87389]. This demonstrates that software failure incidents related to privacy and security have also occurred with products from other organizations, not just Apple. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the case of the Walkie-Talkie app on the Apple Watch. Apple disabled this major feature after discovering a vulnerability that could allow someone to listen through another customer's iPhone without consent. This flaw was related to the Walkie-Talkie feature, which did not work as intended and could be exploited by snoopers [Article 87389].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can be observed in the case of the FaceTime Group Calling feature. In January, it was revealed that this feature could be exploited to let snoopers listen in on an iPhone owner. This issue was related to the misuse of the FaceTime Group Calling feature, which allowed unauthorized access to the device's microphone [Article 87389]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Walkie-Talkie app on the Apple Watch can be categorized as within_system. The incident was caused by a vulnerability within the Walkie-Talkie app itself, which allowed for unauthorized access to an iPhone's microphone, enabling potential spying on iPhone owners [87389]. Apple took swift action to disable the feature and work on a fix to address the issue originating from within the system. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident related to non-human actions occurred due to a bug in the Walkie-Talkie app on the Apple Watch. Apple disabled this major feature after discovering that it could be used to spy on iPhone owners. The bug allowed snoopers to remotely listen in to an iPhone through its microphone, even though the feature was only supposed to allow voice-chatting between willing participants. Apple quickly disabled the function and apologized for the privacy blunder, stating that they were working on a fix. The company did not release full details of the bug, but they took the security and privacy of their customers seriously and decided to disable the app until the issue was resolved [Article 87389].
(b) The software failure incident related to human actions involved Apple's response to the bug in the Walkie-Talkie app. Apple apologized for the inconvenience caused by the bug and mentioned that they were working on a fix to restore the functionality as soon as possible. The company acknowledged that specific conditions and sequences of events were required to exploit the vulnerability, but they took the security and privacy of their customers extremely seriously. Apple acted quickly to disable the app and prevent potential misuse of the bug, showing a proactive approach to addressing the issue [Article 87389]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The article does not mention any hardware-related issues contributing to the software failure incident. Therefore, it is unknown if the incident was caused by hardware [Article 87389].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The software failure incident in this case was due to a bug in the Walkie-Talkie app on the Apple Watch, which allowed for remote listening through an iPhone's microphone. Apple disabled the feature and mentioned working on a fix for the issue, indicating that the failure originated in the software [Article 87389]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Walkie-Talkie app on the Apple Watch can be categorized as malicious. The incident involved a vulnerability that could be exploited by snoopers to remotely listen in on iPhone owners without their consent. Apple took quick action to disable the feature and apologized for the privacy blunder, indicating that the issue was a result of a malicious exploit rather than an unintentional flaw in the system [Article 87389]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Walkie-Talkie app on the Apple Watch can be attributed to poor decisions made during the development and implementation of the feature. Apple disabled the Walkie-Talkie app after discovering a vulnerability that could allow someone to listen through another customer's iPhone without consent. This indicates that the design or implementation of the feature had flaws that could be exploited by snoopers [87389]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Walkie-Talkie app on the Apple Watch can be attributed to development incompetence. Apple disabled the feature after discovering a vulnerability that could be exploited to spy on iPhone owners through their microphone. The company acknowledged the bug but did not provide full details, indicating a lack of professional competence in ensuring the security and privacy of the feature [87389].
(b) The incident can also be categorized as accidental, as Apple mentioned that they were not aware of any use of the vulnerability against a customer. The bug required specific conditions and sequences of events to exploit, suggesting that the issue was introduced accidentally and not intentionally [87389]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Walkie-Talkie app on the Apple Watch can be considered temporary. Apple disabled the feature after discovering the vulnerability that could be exploited to spy on iPhone owners. The company mentioned that they were quickly working on a fix to address the issue and restore the functionality of the app as soon as possible [Article 87389]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident related to the Walkie-Talkie app on the Apple Watch can be categorized as a crash. Apple disabled the feature after discovering a vulnerability that could allow someone to listen through another customer's iPhone without consent. This led to the app being switched off, indicating a failure in the system's state where it was not performing its intended function of secure voice-chatting [87389].
(b) omission: The incident does not directly indicate a failure due to omission where the system omitted to perform its intended functions at an instance(s).
(c) timing: The incident does not suggest a failure due to timing, where the system performed its intended functions correctly but too late or too early.
(d) value: The software failure incident does not align with a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly.
(e) byzantine: The incident does not point towards a failure due to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be described as a privacy breach leading to the disabling of a major feature on the Apple Watch, the Walkie-Talkie app. This breach allowed potential eavesdropping on iPhone owners, indicating a failure in ensuring user privacy and security [87389]. |