| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization:
- The article mentions that in 2012 and 2013, Iranian state-backed hackers carried out disruptive denial-of-service attacks that knocked offline the websites of major U.S. banks, including Bank of America, as well as the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ [94585].
- Two years later, Iranian hackers wiped servers at the Sands Casino in Las Vegas, crippling hotel and gambling operations [94585].
(b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization:
- The article states that the website for a number of obscure, non-governmental entities, including the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, the Taiwan Lung Meng Technology Company, the Human Rights Protection Association of India, and the British company Bigways, were also struck in the cyber attacks [94585].
- Security experts have warned that cyber attacks could be part of Iran's retaliation for the U.S. airstrike, potentially targeting manufacturing facilities, oil and gas plants, and transit systems in the U.S. public and private sector [94585]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the hacking of the website operated by the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) by a group claiming to represent the government of Iran. The hackers defaced the website and left a message indicating their cyber capabilities and political motivations [94585].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the potential targets mentioned by security experts for cyber attacks by Iran, including manufacturing facilities, oil and gas plants, and transit systems. The warning was issued to businesses and government agencies to be extra vigilant against potential cyber disruptions [94585]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident reported in the news article is primarily due to a hack carried out by a group claiming to represent the government of Iran. The hackers defaced the website operated by the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and left a message on the website indicating their involvement. This hack was part of a series of cyber attacks on various websites, including non-governmental entities, as a potential retaliation for the U.S. airstrike that killed Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani [Article 94585].
(b) outside_system: The contributing factors that originate from outside the system in this software failure incident include the external threat posed by Iranian state-backed hackers. These hackers are among the world's most aggressive and have a history of carrying out disruptive denial-of-service attacks and destructive cyber attacks on various targets, including major U.S. banks and the Sands Casino in Las Vegas. The incident was also linked to geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran, particularly following the killing of Qassem Soleimani, which escalated the cyber threat landscape [Article 94585]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
- The website operated by the U.S. government's Federal Depository Library Program, fdlp.gov, was hacked and defaced by a group claiming to represent the government of Iran [Article 94585].
- The hackers left a message on the defaced website indicating their actions were in the name of Iran Cyber Security Group HackerS, showcasing Iran's cyber ability [Article 94585].
- The defaced page title text of the fdlp.gov website was visible before it was taken offline [Article 94585].
- The incident was part of a series of cyber attacks targeting various entities, including non-governmental organizations and companies like the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, Taiwan Lung Meng Technology Company, Human Rights Protection Association of India, and British company Bigways [Article 94585].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
- The hacking incident was attributed to a group claiming to represent the government of Iran, indicating human involvement in orchestrating the cyber attack [Article 94585].
- Security experts have warned about potential cyber attacks as part of Iran's retaliation for the U.S. airstrike that killed Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani, suggesting a deliberate human-driven motive behind the cyber incidents [Article 94585].
- The article mentions the aggressive nature of Iranian state-backed hackers and their history of carrying out disruptive denial-of-service attacks and destructive cyber operations against U.S. targets, indicating intentional human actions in the cyber domain [Article 94585]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware:
- The incident reported in the news article [94585] does not specifically mention any software failure due to contributing factors originating in hardware. The focus of the article is on a website operated by the U.S. government being hacked by a group claiming to represent the government of Iran.
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to software:
- The software failure incident reported in article [94585] is primarily due to software-related factors, specifically a hack by a group claiming to represent the government of Iran. The website operated by the Federal Depository Library Program was hacked and defaced, leading to its takedown. The hackers left a message on the website, indicating their cyber capabilities and intentions. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is malicious in nature. The incident involved a hack on the website operated by the U.S. government's Federal Depository Library Program by a group claiming to represent the government of Iran. The hackers defaced the website with a message indicating their affiliation with Iran Cyber Security Group Hackers and referenced the death of Qassem Soleimani. Security experts have warned that cyber attacks, such as the one on the FDLP website, could be part of Iran's retaliation for the U.S. airstrike that killed Soleimani [Article 94585]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident:
- The software failure incident reported in the news article is related to a hack carried out by a group claiming to represent the government of Iran on the website operated by the U.S. government's Federal Depository Library Program [Article 94585].
- The hackers left a message on the hacked website referencing the death of Qassem Soleimani and depicted President Donald Trump being beaten by a fist with the Revolutionary Guard insignia, indicating a deliberate and targeted attack [Article 94585].
- Security experts have warned that cyber attacks, such as the one carried out by Iran, could be part of Iran's retaliation for the U.S. airstrike that killed Soleimani, showing a strategic intent behind the attack [Article 94585].
- The incident highlights the potential for destructive cyber attacks by state-backed hackers, such as those from Iran, to cause real disruption and destruction, indicating a deliberate intent to harm critical U.S. infrastructure [Article 94585]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, unknown |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the hacking of the website operated by the U.S. government's Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) by a group claiming to represent the government of Iran [Article 94585]. This incident showcases a failure in the development and maintenance of the website's security measures, allowing hackers to deface the website and take it offline. The hackers left a message on the website, indicating their successful breach and the potential vulnerabilities in the system that were exploited due to a lack of professional competence in securing the website.
(b) The accidental software failure incident is not explicitly mentioned in the provided articles. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident reported in the articles is temporary. This is evident from the fact that the website operated by the U.S. government, specifically the Federal Depository Library Program (fdlp.gov), was hacked and defaced by a group claiming to represent the government of Iran. As a result of this hack, the website was taken offline [Article 94585]. This indicates that the failure was due to specific circumstances, in this case, the hacking incident, rather than being a permanent failure caused by all circumstances. |
| Behaviour |
other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in this case does not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. Instead, the incident involves a hack where the website operated by the U.S. government was hacked by a group claiming to represent the government of Iran [Article 94585].
(b) omission: The software failure incident does not involve omission where the system omits to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). The incident is related to a hack and defacement of the website, rather than the system failing to perform its functions [Article 94585].
(c) timing: The software failure incident is not related to timing issues where the system performs its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The incident is a result of a hack and defacement of the website, not a timing issue [Article 94585].
(d) value: The software failure incident does not involve the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. Instead, the incident is related to a hack and defacement of the website, indicating a security breach rather than a value-related failure [Article 94585].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit a byzantine behavior where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The incident is a result of a hack and defacement of the website, indicating a deliberate intrusion rather than inconsistent system behavior [Article 94585].
(f) other: The software failure incident in this case is primarily characterized as a security breach due to a hack by a group claiming to represent the government of Iran. The incident involves the defacement of the website operated by the U.S. government, indicating a breach of security protocols rather than a typical software failure [Article 94585]. |