| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to security vulnerabilities in Zoom's software has happened again within the same organization. The incident involved a major security vulnerability in Zoom's software that could have allowed attackers to covertly control certain users' Mac computers. This vulnerability was discovered by two Australian hackers during a live hacking competition sponsored by Dropbox [98240]. Additionally, Zoom faced criticism for its slow response in fixing security flaws, with one vulnerability remaining unaddressed for over three months until another researcher independently uncovered a separate issue with the same root cause [98240].
(b) The software failure incident related to security vulnerabilities in Zoom's software has also occurred at other organizations or with their products and services. The incident highlighted the broader issue of security weaknesses in popular tech companies, including Microsoft, Twitter, Google, Facebook, and Uber, which have all faced federal charges related to consumer security or privacy [98240]. This indicates a trend where companies experience security challenges as their popularity grows, leading to increased scrutiny and the need for improved security measures. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the case of Zoom's major security vulnerability that allowed attackers to covertly control certain users' Mac computers. This vulnerability was uncovered by hackers during a live hacking competition sponsored by Dropbox, highlighting a flaw in Zoom's software design that could have serious implications [98240].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the delayed response by Zoom to fix the security vulnerability that was reported by hackers. Despite the discovery of the flaw, it took Zoom more than three months to address the issue, leading to a prolonged period where users were at risk of potential attacks due to the operational failure in promptly addressing security concerns [98240]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system:
- The software failure incident involving Zoom's major security vulnerability that could allow attackers to control certain users' Mac computers was due to contributing factors originating from within the system. This vulnerability was uncovered by hackers during a live hacking competition sponsored by Dropbox [98240].
- Zoom's delay in addressing the security flaw, waiting more than three months until another researcher independently uncovered a separate issue with the same root cause, also points to an internal system failure within Zoom's security practices [98240].
(b) outside_system:
- The sudden surge in popularity of Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to increased scrutiny and security incidents, can be considered as contributing factors originating from outside the system [98240].
- The article mentions how the pandemic caused a rapid increase in Zoom users, including consumers using the platform for purposes it was not originally intended for, which could be seen as an external factor influencing the software failure incident [98240]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the article was primarily due to non-human actions, specifically a major security vulnerability in Zoom's software that could have allowed attackers to covertly control certain users' Mac computers [98240]. This vulnerability was discovered by hackers during a live hacking competition and was not intentionally introduced by human actions.
(b) However, human actions also played a role in the software failure incident. The former Dropbox engineers criticized Zoom for its failure to overhaul its security practices, which they believed put its business clients at risk. Additionally, Zoom's slow response in fixing the security flaws identified by hackers contributed to the incident [98240]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The incident involved a major security vulnerability in Zoom's software that could have allowed attackers to covertly control certain users' Mac computers [98240].
- A serious flaw in Zoom was uncovered by a senior research engineer at Tenable, which would have allowed an attacker to remotely disrupt a meeting without being on the call, including taking over a user's screen controls, entering keystrokes, and installing malware on their computer [98240].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- Zoom had multiple security incidents, including reports of trolls hijacking public school classes on Zoom to display pornography and make threats (Zoombombing) [98240].
- Security bug brokers were selling access to critical Zoom security flaws that could allow remote access into users' computers [98240].
- Hackers put up more than half a million Zoom users' passwords and usernames for sale on the dark web [98240].
- Zoom faced criticism for its slow response in fixing security flaws, with one vulnerability only being patched after another researcher publicized a different security flaw with the same root cause [98240].
- Zoom's sudden popularity led to increased scrutiny by researchers and journalists, forcing the company to address a rash of security incidents [98240]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious, non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Zoom videoconferencing service can be categorized as malicious. The incident involved hackers exploiting a major security vulnerability in Zoom's software that could have allowed attackers to covertly control certain users' Mac computers [98240]. Additionally, there were reports of trolls hijacking public school classes on Zoom to display pornography and make threats, known as "Zoombombing" [98240]. Furthermore, security bug brokers were selling access to critical Zoom security flaws for a high price, and hackers put up more than half a million Zoom users' passwords and usernames for sale on the dark web [98240].
(b) The software failure incident can also be considered non-malicious as it involved security flaws and vulnerabilities in Zoom's software that were discovered by security researchers and hackers. These flaws were not intentionally introduced to harm the system but were inherent weaknesses in the software that could be exploited by malicious actors [98240]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to Zoom's security vulnerabilities can be attributed to poor decisions made by the company. Despite being alerted to major security flaws in its software by hackers and Dropbox engineers, Zoom was slow in fixing these vulnerabilities. It took Zoom more than three months to patch a critical security bug that could have allowed attackers to covertly control certain users' Mac computers [98240]. Additionally, Zoom's chief executive, Eric S. Yuan, acknowledged the company's misjudgment and slow response in addressing the security issues, indicating a failure in decision-making processes [98240].
(b) The software failure incident can also be linked to accidental decisions or unintended consequences. For example, the two Australian hackers accidentally discovered a major security vulnerability in Zoom's software while on an eight-hour flight to Singapore for a live hacking competition sponsored by Dropbox [98240]. This accidental discovery led to the exposure of a flaw that could have allowed attackers to take complete control of certain computers running Apple's macOS. Furthermore, the delay in addressing the security flaw by Zoom was described as a misjudgment and lack of quick response, indicating unintended consequences of the company's actions [98240]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the case of Zoom's major security vulnerability that could have allowed attackers to control certain users' Mac computers. The former Dropbox engineers expressed concerns about Zoom's security practices and the company's failure to overhaul them, putting its business clients at risk [98240]. This highlights a lack of professional competence in addressing security vulnerabilities promptly and effectively.
(b) The accidental aspect of the software failure incident is seen in the delay in addressing a critical security flaw by Zoom. The company waited more than three months to fix the vulnerability that could allow attackers to take complete control of certain computers running Apple's macOS. This delay was unintentional, as acknowledged by Zoom's chief executive in a blog post where he apologized for misjudging the situation and not responding quickly enough [98240]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident in the article can be considered as temporary. This is evident from the fact that the security vulnerability in Zoom's software, which could have allowed attackers to control certain users' Mac computers, was eventually patched by Zoom after being identified by hackers and brought to their attention [98240]. Additionally, Zoom's chief executive acknowledged the delay in addressing the security flaw and apologized for it, indicating that the issue was eventually resolved [98240]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, timing, value, byzantine |
(a) crash: The incident involving Zoom's software vulnerability that could have allowed attackers to covertly control certain users' Mac computers can be categorized as a crash. This vulnerability could lead to a situation where the system loses control and does not perform its intended functions, potentially resulting in a system crash or takeover by unauthorized entities [98240].
(b) omission: The software failure incident related to Zoom's security vulnerabilities, including the ability for attackers to take over users' actions on the Zoom web app and run malicious code on computers using Zoom software, can be associated with omission. These flaws indicate instances where the system omitted to perform its intended functions, leading to security breaches and potential compromises [98240].
(c) timing: The delay in addressing the security vulnerability in Zoom's software, where it took more than three months for Zoom to fix the bug after it was reported, can be linked to a timing failure. In this case, the system performed its intended functions correctly but did so too late, resulting in a significant delay in addressing a critical security issue [98240].
(d) value: The software failure incident involving Zoom's security vulnerabilities, such as the ability for attackers to remotely disrupt meetings, take over a user's screen controls, enter keystrokes, and install malware on their computer, falls under the category of a value failure. These vulnerabilities indicate that the system performed its intended functions incorrectly, allowing unauthorized access and manipulation of user devices and data [98240].
(e) byzantine: The behavior of the software failure incident related to Zoom's security vulnerabilities, including the discovery of flaws that could allow attackers to covertly control certain computers running Apple's macOS, can be associated with a byzantine failure. This type of failure involves the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions, potentially leading to unauthorized access and control over user devices [98240].
(f) other: The software failure incident involving Zoom's security vulnerabilities, the delay in addressing critical flaws, and the exposure to security incidents like "zoombombing" and the sale of user data on the dark web can be considered as a combination of various failure behaviors. This incident showcases a range of issues, including crashes, omissions, timing failures, value failures, and potentially byzantine behaviors, making it a complex case of software failure with multiple facets [98240]. |