| Recurring |
unknown |
The articles do not provide specific information about a software failure incident happening again at the same organization (one_organization) or at multiple organizations (multiple_organization). Therefore, the information to answer this question is 'unknown'. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
unknown |
The articles do not provide specific information about the software failure incident related to the development phases, whether it was due to design factors introduced during system development or operation factors introduced during system operation or misuse. Therefore, it is unknown which specific phase contributed to the software failure incident in this case. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident in the Nashville bombing incident was primarily within the system. The failure was caused by the blast seriously damaging a key AT&T network facility, leading to backup generators going down, a fire breaking out, and the building flooding, which resulted in service outages for AT&T customers across large parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama [108599].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident in the Nashville bombing incident was also influenced by factors outside the system. The bombing itself, which was an external event, led to the serious damage to the AT&T network facility, causing the software failure incident and subsequent service outages [108599]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
The software failure incident in this case was primarily caused by a bombing that led to serious damage to a key AT&T network facility in downtown Nashville. The blast damaged the facility, causing backup generators to go down, a fire to break out, and the building to flood with water, leading to service outages across large parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama [108599].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
While the initial cause of the software failure incident was the bombing, the subsequent restoration efforts and challenges involved human actions. AT&T worked to restore services by sending temporary cell towers, rerouting traffic, and activating remaining wireline equipment. However, access to the building for repairs was complicated due to it being part of an active crime scene, which hindered the restoration process [108599]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The Christmas Day bombing in downtown Nashville seriously damaged a key AT&T network facility, leading to phone and data service outages and disruptions over hundreds of miles in the southern U.S. The blast damaged the facility, causing backup generators to go down, a fire to break out, and the building to flood with more than three feet of water [108599].
- AT&T had to send temporary cell towers to help in affected areas and rerouted traffic to other facilities as it worked to restore power to the Nashville building. However, not all traffic could be rerouted, and there was physical equipment that had to be fixed in a building that was part of an active crime scene, complicating access for AT&T workers [108599].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The Nashville police department, which uses the FirstNet system built by AT&T, had to turn to a backup provider, CenturyLink, for its landlines and internet at headquarters and precincts due to service problems with AT&T. The department also obtained loaner cellphones and mobile hotspots from Verizon [108599].
- A December 2018 CenturyLink outage, caused by software bugs and equipment failures, lasted for more than a day and disrupted 911 calls in over two dozen states, affecting millions of people. This outage included blocked calls for Verizon customers and busy signals for Comcast customers, both of which used CenturyLink’s network [108599]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was not malicious. It was caused by a bombing in downtown Nashville that seriously damaged a key AT&T network facility, leading to phone and data service outages and disruptions over hundreds of miles in the southern U.S. The blast damaged the facility, causing backup generators to go down, a fire to break out, and the building to flood, impacting AT&T customers and various services across Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama [Article 108599].
(b) The software failure incident was non-malicious, resulting from physical damage and infrastructure issues caused by the bombing rather than any intentional actions to harm the system. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of U.S. communications infrastructure to physical damage and the importance of redundancy and resilience in telecom facilities to prevent widespread service disruptions [Article 108599]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
The software failure incident reported in the articles does not directly point to either poor_decisions or accidental_decisions as the intent behind the failure. The incident was primarily caused by physical damage to a key AT&T network facility due to a bombing, leading to widespread service outages and disruptions in the southern U.S. The failure was a result of the blast damaging infrastructure, backup generators going down, fires breaking out, and the building flooding, rather than being attributed to specific poor or accidental decisions related to software. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article [108599].
(b) The software failure incident was accidental, as it was caused by a bombing in downtown Nashville that led to phone and data service outages and disruptions over hundreds of miles in the southern U.S. The blast seriously damaged a key AT&T network facility, leading to widespread service outages and disruptions [108599]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident described in the articles is more aligned with a temporary failure rather than a permanent one. The outage and disruptions in phone and data services were a result of the blast damaging a key AT&T network facility, leading to backup generators going down, a fire breaking out, and the building flooding [Article 108599]. The article mentions that AT&T was able to restore 96% of its wireless network by Sunday and nearly all services were back up by Monday evening, with the activation of the last remaining wireline equipment on Wednesday. Additionally, temporary measures such as sending out temporary cell towers and rerouting traffic to other facilities were implemented to mitigate the impact of the incident [Article 108599]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in this case can be categorized as a crash. The blast in downtown Nashville seriously damaged a key AT&T network facility, leading to the loss of phone, internet, and video services across large parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama [108599].
(b) omission: The software failure incident also involved omission as a behavior. Due to the blast and subsequent damage to the AT&T facility, 911 centers in the region couldn't take calls, and crucial data associated with callers, such as their locations, were not received. Additionally, the Nashville police department's phones and internet failed, causing disruptions in emergency services [108599].
(d) value: There were instances of the software failure incident related to performing its intended functions incorrectly. For example, at some hospitals, electronic medical records, internet service, or phones stopped working, impacting the delivery of healthcare services [108599].
(f) other: The software failure incident also exhibited other behaviors not covered by the options listed. For instance, the incident involved physical vulnerabilities of the communications networks, which were exploited by the blast in downtown Nashville. The physical damage to the AT&T facility, including flooding and fire, contributed to the failure of services [108599]. |