| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization:
- The Love Bug incident, created by Onel de Guzmán, was a significant software failure that infected millions of computers worldwide by spreading through email attachments [Article 100146].
- Prior to the Love Bug incident, a virus named Melissa had infected a million machines with similar tactics [Article 100146].
(b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization:
- The Love Bug incident highlighted the vulnerability of increasing internet connectivity and caused widespread damage and disruptions globally, affecting organizations like the UK Parliament and the Pentagon [Article 100146]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be attributed to the creation of the Love Bug virus by Onel de Guzmán. He developed the virus with the intention of stealing passwords to access the internet for free. Initially, he sent the virus only to victims in the Philippines through chat rooms to steal internet access passwords in his local area. However, he later modified the code to include an automatic spreading function that sent copies of the virus to the Outlook contacts of the victims globally, exploiting a flaw in the Windows 95 operating system [Article 100146].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase was evident when the Love Bug virus spread rapidly and caused significant disruptions worldwide. Within 24 hours of its release, the virus had infected 45 million computers, overloading email systems and causing damages estimated in the billions of dollars. Organizations, including the UK Parliament and the Pentagon, had to take measures like disconnecting parts of their infrastructure to prevent further infections [Article 100146]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident of the Love Bug virus was primarily caused by factors originating from within the system. Onel de Guzmán, the creator of the virus, admitted to developing the virus with the intention of stealing passwords for internet access. He initially sent the virus to victims in the Philippines to steal local internet access passwords. However, he later modified the code to include an automatic propagation function that spread the virus to the Outlook contacts of victims globally, exploiting a vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system [Article 100146].
(b) outside_system: There is no specific information in the provided article indicating that the software failure incident of the Love Bug virus was primarily caused by factors originating from outside the system. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
The Love Bug virus incident was primarily caused by the malicious code contained in an email attachment titled LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU. This attachment contained a code that automatically spread to all contacts in the victim's Microsoft Outlook address book, overwriting files, stealing passwords, and causing widespread damage [Article 100146].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
The Love Bug virus incident was created and released intentionally by Onel de Guzmán, a Filipino student of computer science. He admitted to creating the virus to steal passwords for free internet access, initially intending to target only victims in the Philippines. However, he modified the code to spread globally by exploiting a vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system and by naming the email attachment with a title that would appeal to a global audience [Article 100146]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware:
- The Love Bug virus incident was primarily a software failure caused by the malicious code created by Onel de Guzmán [Article 100146].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to software:
- The Love Bug virus incident was a result of the software failure caused by the malicious code developed by Onel de Guzmán, which infected millions of computers worldwide [Article 100146]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Love Bug virus was malicious in nature. The creator, Onel de Guzmán, admitted to unleashing the virus with the intention of stealing passwords to access the internet for free. He modified the code to automatically spread the virus to contacts in Microsoft Outlook, causing widespread damage and disruptions globally [Article 100146]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
accidental_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident was accidental_decisions. The creator of the Love Bug virus, Onel de Guzmán, admitted that he initially developed the virus to steal internet access passwords locally in the Philippines. However, he later modified the code to include a self-propagation feature that would send copies of the virus to the Outlook contacts of the victims globally, exploiting a vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system. He also crafted an email attachment title with global appeal to entice people worldwide to open it, naming it "LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU" [100146]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence:
- The Love Bug virus incident, created by Onel de Guzmán, was a result of his actions to steal passwords for free internet access, showcasing a lack of professional competence in ethical software development practices [100146].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors:
- Onel de Guzmán admitted that he initially sent the Love Bug virus only to victims in the Philippines to steal internet access passwords, but later modified the code accidentally adding an automatic spreading function that targeted Outlook contacts globally, leading to the widespread impact of the virus [100146]. |
| Duration |
permanent, temporary |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Love Bug virus can be considered as a permanent failure. The incident caused significant damage and disruptions globally, infecting millions of computers, causing financial losses estimated in billions of dollars, and impacting organizations like the UK Parliament and the Pentagon [100146].
(b) The software failure incident can also be seen as a temporary failure in the sense that it was initiated by specific circumstances introduced by the actions of the creator, Onel de Guzmán. He initially sent the virus to victims in the Philippines to steal internet access passwords but later modified the code to spread globally, exploiting a vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook and using an enticing email subject to attract users worldwide [100146]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The Love Bug software failure incident can be categorized as a crash. The incident involved the software infecting millions of computers worldwide, causing significant problems, overwhelming email systems, and leading to damages estimated in billions of dollars. The software lost control and spread rapidly, disrupting operations globally [100146].
(b) omission: The Love Bug incident can also be associated with omission. The software omitted to perform its intended functions correctly by spreading malicious code, overwriting files, stealing passwords, and automatically sending copies of itself to all contacts in the victim's Microsoft Outlook address book. This omission led to widespread infections and disruptions [100146].
(c) timing: The timing of the Love Bug incident can be considered a factor in the failure. The virus was unleashed on May 4, 2000, and within 24 hours, it had already infected 45 million computers worldwide, causing significant disruptions. The rapid spread of the virus highlighted the vulnerability of the interconnected systems at that time [100146].
(d) value: The Love Bug incident can be linked to a failure in value. The software performed its intended functions incorrectly by spreading malicious code, stealing passwords, and causing widespread damage and disruptions. The creator of the virus admitted to developing it to steal passwords for internet access, but the consequences of the software's actions went beyond his initial intentions [100146].
(e) byzantine: The Love Bug incident does not exhibit characteristics of a byzantine failure. The software's behavior, as described in the article, was consistent in its malicious intent and actions, spreading rapidly and causing disruptions globally. There were no mentions of inconsistent responses or interactions that would align with a byzantine failure [100146].
(f) other: The other behavior exhibited by the Love Bug incident could be categorized as a deliberate act of cybercrime. The creator of the virus, Onel de Guzmán, admitted to developing the software with the intention of stealing passwords for free internet access. However, the software's impact went far beyond his initial expectations, causing widespread damage, disruptions, and financial losses globally. This deliberate act of creating and releasing the virus for personal gain resulted in significant consequences beyond what was initially planned [100146]. |