| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the iPhone lockscreen vulnerability involving Siri is an example of a security flaw that has happened again within the same organization, Apple. The article mentions that hackers have discovered security flaws in almost every major iOS release, including the initial release of iOS 7, which allowed access to private data [Article 21639]. This indicates a pattern of security vulnerabilities being found in Apple's iOS software, suggesting a recurring issue within the organization.
(b) The incident also highlights how hackers have found security flaws in almost every major iOS release, indicating that similar incidents have occurred with other organizations or their products and services as well. The article mentions that hackers are constantly discovering these flaws, and it's because Apple's iOS garners much more attention than other platforms that these flaws are found [Article 21639]. This suggests that security vulnerabilities are not unique to Apple but may be prevalent across various software systems and organizations. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the vulnerability of Siri on the iPhone's lockscreen. The hack demonstrated by the security researcher involved exploiting a security glitch in the iOS 7 software through Siri, allowing unauthorized access to the phone application [21639].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the misuse of Siri on the lockscreen. Hackers were able to access private data, make phone calls, send text messages, and emails by exploiting the security flaw in Siri while the iPhone was locked [21639]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the Siri vulnerability on the iPhone lockscreen is primarily within the system. The vulnerability was a result of a security flaw in Apple's Siri, which allowed unauthorized access to private data and functionalities of the phone app [21639]. The hack exploited a glitch in the iOS 7 software that could be triggered by using Siri on the lockscreen, showcasing an internal weakness within the system itself. Additionally, the article mentions that Apple had previously released a patch for another lockscreen security issue within iOS 7, indicating that the vulnerabilities were inherent to the system [21639].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident does not seem to have significant contributing factors originating from outside the system. The vulnerability was demonstrated by utilizing Siri on the iPhone's lockscreen, indicating that the exploit was based on internal system functionalities rather than external factors [21639]. The article does not highlight any external elements that directly led to the Siri vulnerability or the security flaw within the iOS 7 software. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the article is related to non-human actions. The vulnerability exploited by the hack involving Siri on the iPhone's lockscreen allowed unauthorized access to the phone application without direct human involvement. The hack leveraged a series of actions initiated by Siri and the Facetime system to bypass the lockscreen security and access private data on the device [21639]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The software failure incident reported in the article is not directly attributed to hardware issues but rather to a vulnerability in Apple's voice-controlled digital assistant Siri on the iPhone's lockscreen [21639].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The software failure incident is specifically related to a security flaw in Apple's Siri software, which allows unauthorized access to private data, call history, voicemail, and the ability to send text messages, emails, and make phone calls [21639]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article is malicious in nature. It involves a hack demonstrated by a security researcher that exploits a vulnerability in Apple's Siri voice control system to gain unauthorized access to an iPhone's phone application [21639]. The hack allows hackers to access private data, make phone calls, send text messages, and send emails without the user's consent. This indicates that the failure was caused by contributing factors introduced by humans with the intent to harm the system. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Siri vulnerability on the iPhone lockscreen can be attributed to poor_decisions. The incident was a result of a security flaw in Apple's Siri feature that allowed unauthorized access to private data, call history, voicemail, and the ability to send text messages, emails, and make phone calls [21639]. The security researcher demonstrated how Siri could be used on the lockscreen to exploit a glitch in the iOS 7 software, highlighting a poor decision in enabling such functionality that could compromise user data security. Additionally, the expert Graham Cluley criticized Apple's focus on features over security, pointing out that a feature like Siri, which allows access to various functions of the phone while locked, should not be enabled by default, indicating a poor decision in the design and implementation of the feature [21639]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the Siri vulnerability discovered by Israeli security researcher Dany Lisiansky. The vulnerability allowed hackers to exploit a security glitch in the iOS 7 software through Siri on the iPhone's lockscreen, granting unauthorized access to the phone application [21639].
(b) The accidental software failure aspect is highlighted in the article through the unintended consequences of Siri's functionality on the lockscreen. The ability of Siri to perform various actions even when the iPhone is locked, such as accessing calendars and sending emails, was seen as a design flaw that could lead to security breaches [21639]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident described in the article is more temporary than permanent. The vulnerability in Siri that allowed access to private data and phone functions was due to a specific security glitch in the iOS 7 software that could be exploited under certain circumstances, such as using Siri on the lockscreen to initiate a FaceTime call [21639]. Additionally, the article mentions that Apple previously released a patch for another lockscreen security flaw in iOS 7 within six days, indicating that the specific vulnerability could be addressed and mitigated in a timely manner [21639]. |
| Behaviour |
value, other |
(a) crash: The 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 vulnerability in Siri that allows unauthorized access to the phone application [21639].
(b) omission: The incident does not involve a failure due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). It is more about exploiting a security vulnerability in Siri to gain unauthorized access to the phone application [21639].
(c) timing: The incident is not related to a failure due to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. It is primarily about a security flaw in Siri that allows unauthorized access to private data and functions on the iPhone [21639].
(d) value: The software failure incident is related to a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. In this case, the vulnerability in Siri allows hackers to access private data, make calls, send emails, and perform other actions without proper authorization [21639].
(e) byzantine: The incident does not involve a failure due to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. It is more about a specific security vulnerability in Siri that can be exploited to access the phone application and perform unauthorized actions [21639].
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be categorized as a security vulnerability exploit. It involves using Siri on the iPhone's lockscreen to bypass security measures and gain unauthorized access to the phone application, allowing for various unauthorized actions like viewing call history, contacts, making calls, sending emails, etc. [21639]. |