| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident has happened again at one_organization:
Planned Parenthood has experienced software failure incidents in the past. In 2020, the Metropolitan Washington branch of Planned Parenthood revealed a breach where patient and donor information was compromised. Additionally, in 2015, a hacker group led by a Planned Parenthood critic posted personal information online, exposing names and email addresses of hundreds of the organization's employees [121159].
(b) The software failure incident has happened again at multiple_organization:
There is no specific mention in the provided article about the software failure incident happening at multiple organizations. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article where it mentions that a hacker gained access to Planned Parenthood Los Angeles' network by installing malicious software between Oct. 9 and Oct. 17 [121159]. This indicates a failure due to contributing factors introduced during system development or updates that allowed the hacker to exploit vulnerabilities in the system's design.
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident when Planned Parenthood Los Angeles identified suspicious activity on their computer network on Oct. 17 and immediately took their systems offline [121159]. This action was taken to prevent further operation of the compromised system, indicating a failure due to contributing factors introduced by the operation or misuse of the system. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident at Planned Parenthood Los Angeles was due to a hacker gaining access to the organization's network between Oct. 9 and Oct. 17, installing malicious software, and exfiltrating files [121159]. This breach was a result of internal vulnerabilities within the system that allowed unauthorized access and data exfiltration.
(b) outside_system: The hacker deployed ransomware, a specific type of malware, to block Planned Parenthood Los Angeles' access to its own computer network and extort a ransom [121159]. This external factor of ransomware being used by the hacker originated from outside the system and contributed to the software failure incident. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was due to non-human actions, specifically a hacker gaining unauthorized access to Planned Parenthood Los Angeles' network and installing malicious software to exfiltrate sensitive information of about 400,000 patients [121159].
(b) Human actions also played a role in this incident as the organization took steps to improve security after the breach was discovered, notified law enforcement, and enlisted a cybersecurity firm to investigate the attack [121159]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware:
- The article does not mention any hardware-related issues contributing to the software failure incident reported at Planned Parenthood Los Angeles [121159].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to software:
- The software failure incident at Planned Parenthood Los Angeles was caused by a hacker gaining access to the organization's network, installing malicious software (malware), and exfiltrating files containing sensitive information of patients [121159]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident at Planned Parenthood Los Angeles was malicious in nature. A hacker gained unauthorized access to the organization's network, installed ransomware, and exfiltrated sensitive information of about 400,000 patients [121159]. The attack involved a specific type of malware called ransomware, which is deployed by hackers to block an organization's access to its own computer network to extort a ransom [121159].
(b) There is no indication in the articles that the software failure incident was non-malicious. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
The software failure incident involving the hacker gaining access to Planned Parenthood Los Angeles' network and compromising the personal information of hundreds of thousands of patients appears to be a result of poor decisions and accidental decisions.
1. Poor Decisions:
The incident involved a hacker gaining unauthorized access to the network, installing malicious software, and exfiltrating sensitive files containing patients' personal information [121159]. This breach indicates a failure in the organization's cybersecurity measures and potentially poor decisions in terms of network security protocols and access controls.
2. Accidental Decisions:
The breach was not intentional on the part of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, as it was a result of a hacker gaining access to their network without authorization. The organization took immediate action upon discovering the suspicious activity, indicating that the breach was unintended and accidental [121159]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Planned Parenthood data breach in Los Angeles was not due to development incompetence but rather due to a hacker gaining unauthorized access to the network and installing malicious software [121159].
(b) The incident was accidental in nature as it was caused by a hacker gaining access to the network and deploying ransomware to block access to the organization's computer network, leading to the exfiltration of sensitive patient information [121159]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident at Planned Parenthood Los Angeles was temporary. The breach occurred between October 9 and October 17 when someone gained unauthorized access to the network, installed malicious software, and exfiltrated files [121159]. Planned Parenthood Los Angeles identified suspicious activity on their network on October 17 and immediately took their systems offline [121159]. This indicates that the incident was temporary and not a permanent failure. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the Planned Parenthood breach involved a hacker gaining access to the organization's network, installing malicious software, and exfiltrating files, leading to a system crash where Planned Parenthood Los Angeles had to take its systems offline immediately upon identifying suspicious activity on Oct. 17 [121159].
(b) omission: The breach resulted in the omission of the system's intended functions to safeguard patient information, as sensitive data of some patients was stolen, including names, addresses, insurance information, date of birth, and clinical information [121159].
(c) timing: The timing of the incident was crucial, as the breach occurred between Oct. 9 and Oct. 17, and suspicious activity was identified on Oct. 17, prompting the organization to take its systems offline immediately [121159].
(d) value: The software failure incident led to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly, as the hacker was able to access and exfiltrate sensitive patient information, compromising the security and privacy of about 400,000 patients [121159].
(e) byzantine: There is no indication in the articles that the software failure incident exhibited byzantine behavior, which involves inconsistent responses and interactions within the system.
(f) other: The software failure incident also involved the deployment of ransomware, a specific type of malware that blocks an organization's access to its own computer network to extort a ransom, indicating a form of malicious behavior beyond the typical failure modes [121159]. |