| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident of the bug in Apple's OS X operating system allowing unauthorized access through the sudo command has happened again within the same organization. The article mentions that this bug affects OS X versions 10.7 through 10.8.4 [20970]. This indicates that the issue has occurred within Apple's OS X operating system across multiple versions, suggesting a recurrence within the same organization.
(b) The software failure incident of the bug affecting the sudo command has also been reported to affect numerous Unix and Linux distributions, although with a slight difference. While those systems require authentication to change the system date, OS X does not [20970]. This implies that similar incidents related to this bug have occurred in other organizations using Unix and Linux distributions, highlighting a broader impact beyond just Apple's OS X. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design |
(a) The software failure incident in Article 20970 occurred due to a design flaw in Apple's OS X operating system. The bug allowed a user to gain nearly full access to the system without supplying a password by exploiting a flaw in the way the system stored prior credentials for the sudo command. This flaw was present in OS X versions 10.7 through 10.8.4 and affected the sudo command in numerous Unix and Linux distributions as well. The issue was related to the system's handling of authentication for the sudo command and the expiration of passwords after 10 minutes of no sudo use [20970].
(b) The software failure incident in Article 20970 did not specifically mention any failure due to contributing factors introduced by the operation or misuse of the system. The focus of the incident was on the design flaw in the OS X operating system that allowed unauthorized access through the sudo command without requiring a password. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
The software failure incident reported in Article 20970 involves a bug in Apple's OS X operating system that allows a user nearly full access to the system without supplying a password. This bug is considered to be within the system boundary as it is a flaw within the OS X operating system itself. The bug specifically affects the sudo command in OS X, allowing users to bypass the need for a password by manipulating the system date. This flaw originates from within the system and affects the authentication process of the sudo command [20970]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
The software failure incident reported in Article 20970 was due to a bug in Apple's OS X operating system. The bug allowed a user to gain nearly full access to the system without supplying a password by exploiting a flaw in the sudo command. This flaw was related to the way the system stored prior credentials for the sudo command, allowing someone with access to the system to set the system date and bypass the need for a password. This issue did not require direct human participation to introduce the vulnerability, making it a case of failure due to non-human actions [20970].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
The software failure incident in Article 20970 was not directly caused by human actions. However, the potential exploitation of the bug by a hacker sitting down at a system left unattended by a user could be considered a case of failure due to human actions. In this scenario, the hacker could reset the system date using Apple's "systemsetup" command to gain access to the sudo command without authentication, taking advantage of the vulnerability introduced by the bug [20970]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident reported in Article 20970 is related to a bug in Apple's OS X operating system that allows a user nearly full access to the system without supplying a password. This bug is a result of a flaw in the way the system stores prior credentials for the sudo command, which is a software component. The issue arises from the software's handling of authentication and password requirements, rather than originating from hardware factors.
(b) The software failure incident in Article 20970 is primarily attributed to a software bug in the OS X operating system. The bug allows the sudo command to be used without the need for a password, indicating a flaw in the software's authentication mechanism. This failure is not linked to any hardware-related issues but is solely a result of a software vulnerability. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident reported in Article 20970 is categorized as malicious. The incident involves a bug in Apple's OS X operating system that allows a user to gain nearly full access to the system without supplying a password. This bug can be exploited by changing the system date to bypass the need for authentication when using the powerful "sudo" command, which is typically restricted to administrators. The exploit could potentially be used by a hacker who gains access to a system where the current user is an administrator and has previously authenticated the sudo command, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive information or system files [20970]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the bug in Apple's OS X operating system allowing nearly full access to the system without supplying a password can be attributed to poor_decisions. The flaw in the OS X operating system that allowed the sudo command to be used without the need for a password was a result of how the system stored prior credentials for the sudo command. This poor decision in the design or implementation of the system led to a vulnerability that could potentially be exploited by hackers [20970]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the bug found in Apple's OS X operating system. The flaw in the OS X operating system allowed a user to gain nearly full access to the system without supplying a password by exploiting a bug related to the sudo Unix command. This bug was present in OS X versions 10.7 through 10.8.4 and was identified by Ars Technica [20970]. The fact that this bug existed due to a lack of professional competence in the development of the operating system highlights a failure related to development incompetence.
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is seen in the unintended consequence of the bug in OS X that allowed users to bypass the need for a password when using the sudo command. This unintended consequence was discovered by Ars Technica during their analysis of the flaw in the OS X operating system [20970]. The accidental nature of this failure is evident in how the bug allowed users to exploit the system by changing the date, which was not the intended behavior of the software. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article is temporary. The bug in Apple's OS X operating system that allows a user nearly full access to the system without supplying a password is a specific flaw related to the sudo command and the way the system stores prior credentials for the command. This bug only affects systems in specific ways and requires certain conditions to be met for exploitation, such as the current user being an administrator, currently logged in, and having authenticated the sudo command in the current log-in session. Additionally, the bug affects OS X versions 10.7 through 10.8.4, indicating a specific range of impacted systems [20970]. |
| Behaviour |
value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident described in the article does not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. Instead, it focuses on a bug in Apple's OS X operating system that allows a user nearly full access to the system without supplying a password [20970].
(b) omission: The incident does not involve a failure due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). It specifically highlights a flaw in the sudo command in OS X that allows bypassing access permissions and gaining full access to the system without authentication [20970].
(c) timing: The failure is not related to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. It revolves around the exploitation of a bug that allows using the sudo command without the need for a password by changing the system date [20970].
(d) value: The software failure incident is related to a failure where the system performs its intended functions incorrectly. The bug in OS X allows unauthorized users to gain root access and use the sudo command without authenticating, which is a clear violation of the system's security mechanisms [20970].
(e) byzantine: The incident does not involve a failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The bug in OS X, although potentially exploitable, follows a specific pattern of exploiting the sudo command without the need for a password under certain conditions [20970].
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be categorized as a security vulnerability. It allows unauthorized users to escalate their privileges and gain root access to the system without proper authentication, potentially leading to unauthorized access and misuse of system resources [20970]. |