| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization:
- Facebook experienced a similar software failure incident in the past related to its SDK causing apps to crash [100013].
- In late April, the Google Maps SDK had an issue that caused apps to crash on opening, indicating a recurring problem with SDKs [100013].
(b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization:
- The recent software failure incident affected various apps beyond Facebook, such as Spotify, Pinterest, Venmo, TikTok, and more, due to the widespread use of the Facebook SDK [100013].
- The issue with the Facebook SDK causing apps to crash has also impacted apps like MailOnline, Bumble, and Tinder, indicating a broader impact across different organizations [102514]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the articles can be attributed to the design phase. The incident was caused by a change in a server value in the Facebook SDK, which led to crashes in various apps that used the SDK for functionalities like login with Facebook [100013]. The change in the server value, which altered the way data was communicated between the server and the client app, resulted in crashes and errors in multiple apps [102514]. This highlights how a small change in the design of a software development kit can have a significant impact on the functioning of various apps that rely on it. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident discussed in the articles was primarily due to contributing factors that originated from within the system. Specifically, the issue was related to a problem with the Facebook SDK, which is used by various apps for functionalities like login with Facebook. The change in a server value within the Facebook SDK caused crashes in multiple apps, even those not directly related to Facebook login [100013, 102514].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident was also influenced by contributing factors that originated from outside the system. In this case, the issue stemmed from how Facebook's servers were sending data back to the apps using the Facebook SDK. The incompatible format in which the data was sent back from the server to the client apps led to crashes and fatal errors within the apps, ultimately causing them to close [102514]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
- The software failure incident in Article 100013 was caused by a small change in a server value in the Facebook SDK, which led to crashes in various iOS apps [100013].
- In Article 102514, the crashing of apps was attributed to a problem with how Facebook's servers were sending data back to the apps, resulting in an incompatible 'language' causing the apps to crash [102514].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
- The incident in Article 100013 was triggered by a change made in a Facebook release that impacted apps using the Facebook iOS SDK, highlighting the impact of human actions on software failures [100013].
- Article 102514 mentions that the crashing of apps was caused by a problem with how Facebook's servers were sending data back to the apps, indicating a potential human error in the data communication process [102514]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware:
- There is no mention of the software failure incident in the provided articles being attributed to hardware issues. Therefore, it is unknown if the incident was caused by hardware-related factors.
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to software:
- The software failure incident reported in the articles is attributed to software-related factors. Specifically, the incident was caused by a problem with how Facebook's servers sent data back to the app, resulting in an incompatible 'language' that caused apps to crash and trigger fatal errors [100013, 102514]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles does not indicate any malicious intent behind the failure. The issues were caused by technical problems within the Facebook SDK, leading to crashes in various apps that use the SDK for functionalities like login options. The failures were not a result of intentional actions to harm the system.
[based on Article 100013, Article 102514] |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles can be attributed to poor_decisions. The incident was caused by a change in a server value in the Facebook SDK without warning, which led to crashes in various apps using the SDK [100013]. Additionally, the issue was related to how Facebook's servers sent data back to the apps in an incompatible format, causing the apps to crash [102514]. These poor decisions or changes made without proper consideration ultimately resulted in the widespread software failure incident. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to development incompetence:
- Article 100013 mentions a software failure incident where a change in a Facebook server value caused crashes in apps using the Facebook iOS SDK. The change was described as a small change that had a significant impact, indicating a lack of proper testing or consideration of potential consequences before implementing the change [100013].
(b) The software failure incident occurring accidentally:
- Article 102514 reports on apps crashing due to a problem with how Facebook's servers send data back to the app. The issue was described as a communication problem between the server and the client app, leading to the app receiving incompatible data and crashing as a result. This indicates an accidental introduction of a communication error that caused the failure [102514]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles was temporary. The incident caused apps to crash and fail to open, but it was not a permanent failure. Facebook acknowledged the issue with its SDK causing apps to crash, and the problem was eventually resolved. For example, in Article 100013, it is mentioned that Facebook quickly identified and resolved the issue that triggered crashes in apps using the Facebook iOS SDK. Additionally, in Article 102514, Facebook reported that the crashing issue spiked and receded, with a few "aftershocks," indicating that the problem was not permanent and was being monitored for resolution.
Furthermore, the articles highlight that the crashing was caused by a problem with how Facebook's servers sent data back to the apps, resulting in an incompatible "language" that led to crashes. This issue was specific to certain circumstances related to the communication between the server and the client apps, rather than being a permanent failure affecting all circumstances. |
| Behaviour |
crash |
(a) crash: The software failure incident described in the articles is related to a crash. Both articles [100013, 102514] mention that various apps, including prominent ones like TikTok, Spotify, Pinterest, and more, experienced crashes when users tried to open them. The crashes were caused by a problem with the Facebook SDK, leading to the apps not functioning as intended and ultimately crashing.
(b) omission: There is no specific mention of the software failure incident being related to omission in the articles.
(c) timing: The incident is not related to timing issues where the system performs its intended functions but at the wrong time.
(d) value: The failure is not due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly.
(e) byzantine: The incident does not involve the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident is related to a crash caused by a problem with the Facebook SDK, leading to widespread app crashes as described in the articles [100013, 102514]. |