| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization:
- WhatsApp experienced a software bug that caused the app to crash when certain messages containing a long string of unfamiliar numbers and characters were opened [104739].
- This incident led to WhatsApp users losing their entire chat histories permanently if they had not recently backed up their conversations [104739].
- WhatsApp released a patch to address the bug in its latest iOS software update [104739].
(b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization:
- The article does not mention any similar incident happening at other organizations or with their products and services. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident described in Article 104739 was primarily due to a design flaw. The issue was caused by a software bug in WhatsApp that prevented the app from processing a specific combination of characters in messages, leading to an 'infinite crash' that froze the app and forced users to delete and reinstall it. This bug was introduced during the development phase of the software, as it was a result of the app misinterpreting the character combinations, ultimately causing the crash [104739].
(b) Additionally, the incident also involved an element of operation-related failure. Users were advised to be cautious of messages from unknown contacts that may contain the problematic characters, and to take steps to protect themselves by adjusting their group privacy settings and using WhatsApp Web to block senders and delete messages. This aspect of the incident relates to the operation and usage of the WhatsApp app, highlighting the importance of user behavior in mitigating risks associated with software vulnerabilities [104739]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident with WhatsApp crashing due to receiving specific messages containing a long string of unfamiliar numbers and characters was caused by a software bug within the WhatsApp system itself. The bug prevented WhatsApp from processing the combination of characters in the messages, leading to an 'infinite crash' [104739].
(b) outside_system: The issue of WhatsApp crashing due to specific messages containing strange characters originated externally, particularly in Brazil. The weird code and character combinations causing the crash were reportedly becoming a particular problem for users in Brazil [104739]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the article was caused by a software bug that led to WhatsApp crashing when certain messages containing a long string of unfamiliar numbers and characters were opened. This bug resulted in an 'infinite crash' that froze the app and forced users to delete and reinstall WhatsApp, potentially losing their chat histories permanently [104739].
(b) The incident was reported by a user on Twitter and detailed by independent WhatsApp experts WABetaInfo. The bug was caused by a combination of characters in the messages that WhatsApp couldn't process correctly, leading to the app crashing. The issue was resolved by WhatsApp rolling out a patch in its latest iOS software update [104739]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware:
- The incident reported in the article is primarily due to a software bug within the WhatsApp application that causes the app to freeze and crash when specific messages containing a long string of characters are received [Article 104739].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to software:
- The software failure incident is directly attributed to a software bug within the WhatsApp application that prevents it from processing certain character combinations in messages, leading to an 'infinite crash' situation [Article 104739]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in Article 104739 was malicious in nature. The incident involved malicious WhatsApp messages containing a long string of unfamiliar numbers and characters that, when opened, caused WhatsApp to freeze and crash recipients' phones instantly. This was a deliberate act by individuals to exploit a software bug in WhatsApp, leading to an 'infinite crash' that could potentially cause users to lose their entire chat histories permanently. The messages containing weird code and character combinations were sent by contacts to unsuspecting users, highlighting a malicious intent to disrupt the functioning of the app and potentially cause data loss [104739]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the WhatsApp crash caused by messages containing a long string of unfamiliar numbers and characters can be attributed to poor_decisions. This incident was a result of a software bug that prevented WhatsApp from processing the combination of characters in the messages, leading to an 'infinite crash' [104739]. Additionally, the incident may have been exacerbated by the use of tweaked, unauthorised versions of WhatsApp known as WhatsApp 'mods', which lack end-to-end encryption and can be more prone to attacks by hackers [104739]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the WhatsApp bug that caused messages containing a long string of unfamiliar numbers and characters to crash recipients' phones and force them to delete and reinstall the app [104739]. This issue was caused by a software bug that prevented WhatsApp from processing the combination of characters in the messages, leading to an 'infinite crash.' The bug was detailed by WhatsApp experts WABetaInfo, who explained that the app couldn't process the message correctly, resulting in the crash. Additionally, the problem may have stemmed from tweaked, unauthorized versions of WhatsApp known as WhatsApp 'mods,' which lack end-to-end encryption and are more prone to attacks by hackers [104739].
(b) The accidental software failure incident occurred when WhatsApp had to fix an issue that caused some users' phone numbers to show up in Google search results. This issue affected at least 300,000 phone numbers and was due to WhatsApp failing to request that they be ignored by Google's web crawler, leading to the accidental exposure of private information [104739]. |
| Duration |
permanent |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles resulted in a permanent loss for some WhatsApp users who had not recently backed up their conversations. When the WhatsApp app crashed due to the bug in processing certain characters in messages, users who experienced this issue lost their entire chat histories permanently [104739]. |
| Behaviour |
crash |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the article is related to a crash. When users receive a specific message containing a long string of characters, it causes WhatsApp to freeze and crash, leading to an 'infinite crash' that requires users to delete and reinstall the app [Article 104739].
(b) omission: There is no specific mention of the software failure incident being related to omission in the articles.
(c) timing: The software failure incident is not related to timing issues where the system performs its intended functions but at the wrong time.
(d) value: The software failure incident is not related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly.
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident is not related to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident in the article is specifically related to a crash caused by a software bug that prevents WhatsApp from processing certain characters in messages, resulting in the app freezing and becoming unresponsive [Article 104739]. |