| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to inaccurate mobile phone data has happened before in isolated incidences in the US and South Africa [89801]. This indicates that similar incidents have occurred in the past within the same organization or system.
(b) The article does not provide specific information about similar incidents happening at other organizations or with their products and services. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in Denmark related to the reliability of geolocation data obtained from mobile phone operators was primarily due to issues in the design phase. The article mentions that police found multiple glitches in the software that converts raw data from phone masts into usable evidence. These glitches included the system omitting some data during the conversion process, linking phones to the wrong masts, connecting them to several towers at once, recording the origins of text messages incorrectly, and getting the location of specific towers wrong [Article 89801].
(b) The software failure incident was also influenced by factors related to the operation of the system. The errors in the interpretation of data by operators and the misuse of the data contributed to the inaccuracies in the geolocation information. The telecoms industry association emphasized that data is created to help deliver telecom services, not for surveillance or controlling citizens. The misuse or misinterpretation of the data by operators and authorities played a role in the software failure incident [Article 89801]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident in Denmark related to the reliability of geolocation data obtained from mobile phone operators was primarily due to glitches in the software that converts raw data from phone masts into usable evidence. The errors included the system omitting some data during the conversion process, linking phones to the wrong masts, connecting them to several towers at once, recording the origins of text messages incorrectly, and inaccurately determining the location of specific towers [89801].
(b) outside_system: The article mentions that operators insisted that the errors in the geolocation data mostly stemmed from the interpretation of their data and that they should not be held responsible. Additionally, it was noted that in some instances, the data itself was at fault. The telecoms industry association emphasized that the primary purpose of the data was to facilitate communication between users, not for surveillance or controlling citizens [89801]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in Denmark related to the reliability of geolocation data obtained from mobile phone operators was primarily attributed to non-human actions. The article mentions that police found multiple glitches in the software that converts raw data from phone masts into usable evidence. Among the errors discovered were the system omitting some data during the conversion process, linking phones to the wrong masts, connecting them to several towers at once, recording the origins of text messages incorrectly, and inaccurately determining the location of specific towers. These issues led to incomplete and inaccurate data being presented as evidence in criminal cases, potentially impacting both innocent individuals and criminals [89801].
(b) While the software failure incident was primarily due to non-human actions as described above, there is also a mention of human actions contributing to the situation. The article quotes Jakob Willer, of the country’s telecoms industry association, stating that the errors mostly stemmed from the interpretation of the data and that operators should not be held responsible. Additionally, the article highlights that the Danish prisoners started demanding their release on the grounds that their convictions were based on mobile phone evidence, indicating a potential human action of relying heavily on this data in the legal system [89801]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident in Denmark, where 32 prisoners were released and nearly 40 cases were postponed due to issues with geolocation data obtained from mobile phone operators, was primarily attributed to hardware-related factors. The glitches in the software that converted raw data from phone masts into usable evidence were causing errors such as omitting data during the conversion process, linking phones to wrong masts, connecting them to several towers at once, recording incorrect origins of text messages, and inaccurately determining tower locations [89801]. These issues stemmed from the interpretation of the data provided by the mobile phone operators, indicating hardware-related problems with the data itself rather than software bugs.
(b) The software failure incident in Denmark was also influenced by software-related factors. The errors in the software that converted raw data from phone masts into usable evidence, leading to inaccuracies in determining phone locations and connections to towers, were a key aspect of the failure incident [89801]. The software glitches were significant enough to prompt a two-month moratorium on the use of mobile phone records in trials, highlighting the impact of software issues on the reliability of the evidence presented in court cases. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article is non-malicious. The failure was attributed to glitches in the software that converts raw data from phone masts into usable evidence, leading to errors such as omitting data during the conversion process, linking phones to the wrong masts, connecting them to several towers at once, recording text message origins incorrectly, and inaccurately determining tower locations [89801]. The errors were not intentional but rather a result of technical issues within the software system. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
[a] The intent of the software failure incident in the reported case seems to be more aligned with poor_decisions. The incident occurred due to serious glitches in the software that converts raw data from phone masts into usable evidence, leading to errors such as omitting data, linking phones to wrong masts, connecting them to multiple towers at once, recording text message origins incorrectly, and inaccurately determining tower locations [89801]. These issues resulted in incomplete and inaccurate information being used as evidence in criminal cases, potentially leading to wrongful convictions or exclusions from inquiries. The decision to impose a moratorium on the use of mobile phone records in trials and review thousands of criminal cases reflects the recognition of the severity of the situation and the need to address the inaccuracies in the software. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident in Denmark related to the reliability of geolocation data obtained from mobile phone operators was primarily due to development incompetence. The article mentions that police found multiple glitches in the software that converts raw data from phone masts into usable evidence. Errors included the system omitting some data during the conversion process, linking phones to the wrong masts, connecting them to several towers at once, recording the origins of text messages incorrectly, and getting the location of specific towers wrong [89801].
(b) The software failure incident in Denmark was not accidental but rather a result of systematic issues in the software that were introduced due to development incompetence. The errors in the software were not random or accidental but stemmed from issues in the interpretation of data and the conversion process, leading to serious implications in criminal cases [89801]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident described in the article is temporary. It was caused by glitches in the software that converts raw data from phone masts into usable evidence, leading to errors such as omitting data during the conversion process, linking phones to the wrong masts, connecting them to several towers at once, recording text message origins incorrectly, and inaccurately determining tower locations [89801]. The temporary nature of the failure is evident from the fact that a two-month moratorium was imposed on the use of mobile phone records in trials to address the issues, indicating that the failure was not permanent but rather due to specific circumstances related to the software's functioning. |
| Behaviour |
omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the article is not described as a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions [89801].
(b) omission: The software failure incident involves the system omitting some data during the conversion process, leading to only selected calls being registered and an incomplete picture of the phone's location [89801].
(c) timing: The software failure incident is not related to timing issues where the system performs its intended functions but at the wrong time [89801].
(d) value: The software failure incident is related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly, such as linking phones to the wrong masts, connecting them to several towers at once, recording text message origins incorrectly, and getting tower locations wrong [89801].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit behavior consistent with a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions [89801].
(f) other: The software failure incident involves various errors in the software that convert raw data from phone masts into usable evidence, leading to serious implications such as potentially placing innocent people at crime scenes and wrongly excluding criminals from inquiries [89801]. |