| Recurring |
unknown |
The articles do not provide information about a software failure incident happening again at the same organization or at multiple organizations. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the case of the Israeli company Candiru, which was linked to fake Black Lives Matter and Amnesty International websites used to hack targets. The firm marketed "untraceable" spyware that could infect and monitor computers and phones through web domains associated with URLs masquerading as NGOs, women's rights advocates, activist groups, health organizations, and news media [116806].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in how the spyware developed by Candiru was used by governments to hack and monitor individuals in civil society. Microsoft found at least 100 targets of malware linked to Candiru, including politicians, human rights activists, journalists, academics, embassy workers, and political dissidents in various countries. The spyware enabled governments to steal passwords, documents, and even turn on a microphone to spy on victims' surroundings, highlighting the misuse of the system for surveillance purposes [116806]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system:
- The software failure incident involving Candiru's spyware was primarily due to contributing factors that originated from within the system itself. Candiru, a secretive Israeli company, was linked to fake websites impersonating NGOs and activist groups to infect and monitor targets with their spyware [116806].
- Candiru's spyware allegedly infected targets through web domains associated with URLs masquerading as legitimate organizations, enabling the silent hijacking of control over victims' computers [116806].
- Microsoft conducted its own analysis and found at least 100 targets of malware linked to Candiru, including politicians, human rights activists, journalists, academics, embassy workers, and political dissidents [116806].
- The malware sold by Candiru enabled governments to steal passwords, documents, and even turn on microphones to spy on victims, showcasing the extent of control the spyware provided to the attackers [116806].
(b) outside_system:
- The software failure incident involving Candiru's spyware was also influenced by contributing factors that originated from outside the system. Governments were the ones generally choosing who to target and running the operations themselves using the spyware sold by Candiru [116806].
- Microsoft reported finding victims in countries like Israel and Iran, indicating that the impact of the spyware extended beyond the initial system boundaries of Candiru [116806].
- The report highlighted concerns about surveillance technologies aiding human rights abuses and law enforcement monitoring, indicating that the consequences of the spyware extended to broader societal implications beyond Candiru's immediate operations [116806]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
The software failure incident in this case was not directly caused by non-human actions. The incident involved the use of spyware developed by the Israeli company Candiru, which was used to infect and monitor computers and phones of various targets [116806].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
The software failure incident in this case was primarily due to human actions. Candiru, the company behind the spyware, was allegedly selling spyware to governments, enabling them to hack and monitor individuals, including politicians, human rights activists, journalists, academics, embassy workers, and political dissidents. The spyware was used to impersonate legitimate websites of NGOs, activist groups, and news media to trick targets into clicking on malicious links, leading to the installation of malware on their devices [116806]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware:
- The article does not mention any specific hardware-related failures contributing to the software incident. Therefore, it is unknown if hardware played a role in this particular software failure incident.
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to software:
- The software failure incident in this case is primarily attributed to the spyware developed and marketed by the Israeli company Candiru. The spyware created by Candiru was used to infect and monitor computers and phones of various targets, including politicians, human rights activists, journalists, academics, embassy workers, and political dissidents [116806].
- The spyware developed by Candiru was associated with URLs masquerading as NGOs, women's rights advocates, activist groups, health organizations, and news media. This software was used to impersonate high-profile activist groups and not-for-profit organizations, leading to the exploitation of targeted individuals' computers [116806].
- Microsoft conducted its own analysis and found at least 100 targets of malware linked to Candiru, indicating the software's role in enabling the hacks [116806].
- Microsoft took action to disable the "cyberweapons" of Candiru and issued a Windows software update to protect against the malware, highlighting the software aspect of the failure incident [116806]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Candiru spyware can be classified as malicious. The incident involved the use of spyware developed by Candiru, a secretive Israeli company, to infect and monitor computers and phones of targets, including politicians, human rights activists, journalists, academics, embassy workers, and political dissidents [116806]. The spyware was allegedly used by governments to hack and monitor individuals in civil society, including activists and dissidents, with the potential to steal passwords, documents, and even spy on victims through their microphones [116806]. The spyware was distributed through fake websites impersonating legitimate organizations like Black Lives Matter and Amnesty International, demonstrating a deliberate attempt to deceive targets and exploit their computers [116806]. The incident highlights the malicious nature of the software failure, as it was designed and sold with the intent to aid in surveillance and potentially human rights abuses. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident:
The software failure incident related to the Israeli company Candiru's spyware can be attributed to poor decisions made by the company and its clients. Candiru was linked to fake websites impersonating organizations like Black Lives Matter and Amnesty International to hack targets [116806]. This deceptive tactic of creating websites to trick targets into clicking on malicious links demonstrates a deliberate and unethical approach to surveillance and hacking. Additionally, the company's secretive nature, minimal public information, and sales to governments known for human rights abuses indicate a lack of ethical considerations and accountability in their decision-making processes. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, unknown |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the case of the Israeli company Candiru, which sells spyware to governments. The company's spyware was linked to fake websites impersonating organizations like Black Lives Matter and Amnesty International to hack targets [116806]. This incident showcases a lack of professional competence by the company in developing and deploying spyware that targets individuals through deceptive means.
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article. |
| Duration |
permanent |
The software failure incident related to the Candiru spyware can be considered as a permanent failure. This is because the spyware was designed and sold by Candiru to enable governments to hack and monitor individuals, indicating a deliberate and ongoing operation rather than a temporary glitch or error [116806]. The spyware allowed for persistent access to victims' computers, potentially enabling governments to steal information and spy on individuals continuously [116806]. Additionally, Microsoft took action to disable the cyberweapons of Candiru and issued a Windows software update to protect against the malware, suggesting a need for a permanent solution to counter the spyware's capabilities [116806]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident related to the Candiru spyware can be categorized as a crash. The incident involved the spyware infecting and monitoring computers and phones through fake websites impersonating NGOs and activist groups. The malware could enable "persistent access to essentially everything on the computer," potentially allowing governments to steal passwords and documents or turn on a microphone to spy on victims' surroundings [116806].
(b) omission: The software failure incident can also be categorized as an omission. The spyware omitted to perform its intended functions of protecting users' privacy and security by impersonating legitimate websites and silently hijacking control of victims' computers without their knowledge [116806].
(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 can be categorized as a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The spyware was designed to infect and monitor targets, leading to potential privacy breaches and surveillance activities by governments [116806].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident is not related to byzantine behavior where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The other behavior of the software failure incident is related to the intentional and deceptive nature of the spyware's actions. The spyware was used to impersonate high-profile activist groups and not-for-profit organizations, leading victims to unknowingly click on links that would silently hijack control of their computers for surveillance purposes [116806]. |