| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization:
- Microsoft has been facing a series of security alerts in the past year and a half, including the PrintNightmare flaw in the Windows Print Spooler service [116783].
- In 2020, the National Security Agency alerted Microsoft to a major flaw in its Windows operating system that could let hackers pose as legitimate software companies [116783].
- Earlier this year, hundreds of thousands of Exchange users were targeted after vulnerabilities in Microsoft's software allowed hackers to access servers for the popular email and calendar service [116783].
- Microsoft was also the target of a devastating SolarWinds breach [116783].
(b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization:
- The articles do not mention any specific incidents of similar software failures occurring at other organizations. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be attributed to the serious vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service known as PrintNightmare. Security researchers at Sangfor found this vulnerability and accidentally published a how-to guide for exploiting it, leading to the exposure of the flaw [116783].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the fact that hackers exploiting the PrintNightmare vulnerability could install programs, view and delete data, or create new user accounts with full user rights. This level of control over the system indicates a failure in the operation or misuse of the system, allowing hackers to carry out malicious activities [116783]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the PrintNightmare vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service can be categorized as a within_system failure. The vulnerability was found within the Windows operating system itself, specifically in the Print Spooler service, allowing hackers to exploit it and gain control over the system [116783]. Microsoft issued a patch to address this vulnerability, indicating that the failure originated from within the system.
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident related to the PrintNightmare vulnerability does not have clear indications of being caused by factors originating from outside the system. The vulnerability was identified within the Windows operating system, and the security researchers accidentally published a how-to guide for exploiting it, contributing to the issue [116783]. Therefore, the incident is primarily attributed to within_system factors. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
The software failure incident related to the PrintNightmare vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service was primarily due to a security flaw in the operating system itself, which was exploited by hackers. The vulnerability was discovered by security researchers at cybersecurity company Sangfor, who accidentally published a how-to guide for exploiting it. This non-human action of accidentally publishing the proof-of-concept online led to the vulnerability being exploited by malicious actors [116783].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
The software failure incident related to the PrintNightmare vulnerability also involved human actions. The security researchers at Sangfor inadvertently published the proof-of-concept online, which was a critical human error that contributed to the vulnerability being exposed and exploited by hackers. Additionally, the article mentions that the National Security Agency alerted Microsoft to a major flaw in its Windows operating system in 2020, indicating that human actions in software development and oversight can also lead to security vulnerabilities [116783]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The software vulnerability known as PrintNightmare affects the Windows Print Spooler service, which is a component that interacts with printers, indicating a hardware-related failure [116783].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service, known as PrintNightmare, was caused by a flaw in the software itself, allowing hackers to exploit it and gain control over the system [116783]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the PrintNightmare vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service can be categorized as malicious. Security researchers at cybersecurity company Sangfor accidentally published a how-to guide for exploiting the vulnerability, which could allow hackers to install programs, view and delete data, or create new user accounts with full user rights [116783]. This indicates that the vulnerability was exploited with the intent to harm the system by providing a roadmap for malicious actors to take advantage of the flaw. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the PrintNightmare vulnerability can be attributed to poor decisions made by the cybersecurity company Sangfor. The researchers at Sangfor accidentally published a how-to guide for exploiting the vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service [116783]. This poor decision led to the exposure of the vulnerability, allowing hackers to potentially exploit it and gain control over users' PCs. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article.
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is evident in the article. The security flaw known as PrintNightmare was accidentally exposed by researchers at cybersecurity company Sangfor. They accidentally published a how-to guide for exploiting the vulnerability and also mistakenly published a proof-of-concept online, which was subsequently deleted but had already been shared elsewhere online, including on GitHub [116783]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident related to the PrintNightmare vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service can be categorized as a temporary failure. This is because the vulnerability was caused by specific circumstances, such as the accidental publication of a how-to guide by cybersecurity researchers at Sangfor, which led to the exploitation of the flaw [116783]. Microsoft responded promptly by issuing a patch to address the vulnerability, indicating that the failure was not permanent and could be mitigated through appropriate measures. |
| Behaviour |
omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the article is not described as a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions [116783].
(b) omission: The vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service, known as PrintNightmare, allowed hackers to exploit the system, potentially leading to the omission of performing its intended functions securely [116783].
(c) timing: The article does not mention any failure related to timing, where the system performs its intended functions but at the wrong time [116783].
(d) value: The vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service could lead to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly, such as allowing hackers to install programs, view and delete data, or create new user accounts with full user rights [116783].
(e) byzantine: The article does not describe the software failure incident as exhibiting a byzantine behavior with inconsistent responses and interactions [116783].
(f) other: The software failure incident in the article is primarily related to a serious vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service, known as PrintNightmare, which could potentially lead to unauthorized access and control of the system by hackers, allowing them to perform various malicious activities [116783]. |