| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization:
- Carphone Warehouse, owned by Dixons Carphone, experienced a sophisticated cyber-attack where personal data of millions of customers, including bank details, may have been accessed [38762].
- The breach affected websites such as OneStopPhoneShop.co.uk, e2save.com, and Mobiles.co.uk, as well as services provided to TalkTalk Mobile, Talk Mobile, and iD mobile network [38762].
(b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization:
- The incident at Carphone Warehouse is part of a larger trend of cyber-attacks affecting businesses, with the Centre for Economics and Business Research estimating that defending against cyber-attacks costs businesses £34bn a year [38762].
- The RBS banking group also recently suffered a cyber-attack on its online services, impacting customers' ability to log on [38762]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in the Carphone Warehouse cyber-attack can be attributed to the design phase. The incident was a result of hackers breaching the IT systems of the company's UK division, affecting millions of customers and potentially accessing personal data, including bank details. The breach involved sophisticated cyber-attacks targeting multiple websites and services provided by Carphone Warehouse [38762].
(b) The software failure incident can also be linked to the operation phase. Customers criticized Carphone Warehouse for the delay in informing them about the data breach, questioning why it took three days to notify them after the incident occurred on August 5th. This delay in communication with affected customers can be seen as an operational failure in handling the aftermath of the cyber-attack [38762]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident at Carphone Warehouse was due to a sophisticated cyber-attack where hackers breached the IT systems of one of its UK divisions, potentially accessing personal data of millions of customers, including names, addresses, date of birth information, and bank details [38762]. The breach led to the unauthorized access of customer information stored within the company's systems, indicating that the failure originated from within the system itself. |
| 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 "sophisticated cyber-attack" as reported in Article 38762. Hackers breached the IT systems of Carphone Warehouse, leading to the potential exposure of personal data of millions of customers, including bank details. The breach resulted in unauthorized access to customer information stored in the company's systems, indicating a failure caused by external factors beyond human control.
(b) The software failure incident was also influenced by human actions. The incident involved the delay in informing affected customers about the breach, as highlighted by customer reactions on Twitter in Article 38762. Customers expressed frustration over the company's handling of the situation, questioning the response time and crisis management approach. This delay in communication and customer notification could be considered a contributing factor introduced by human actions in the aftermath of the cyber-attack. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the article is primarily related to a cyber-attack, which is a result of security vulnerabilities in the hardware systems. The breach involved hackers accessing the IT systems of Carphone Warehouse, affecting millions of customers and potentially compromising personal data, including bank details [38762].
(b) The software failure incident is also related to software vulnerabilities as the hackers breached the IT systems of Carphone Warehouse, indicating weaknesses in the software infrastructure that allowed unauthorized access to sensitive customer information [38762]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident reported in Article 38762 is malicious in nature. The incident involved a "sophisticated cyber-attack" where hackers breached the IT systems of Carphone Warehouse, potentially accessing personal data, including bank details, of millions of customers [38762]. The breach led to the unauthorized access of customer information, indicating that the failure was a result of contributing factors introduced by humans with the intent to harm the system. Additionally, the incident prompted investigations by forensic experts specializing in cyber-attacks, as well as involvement from law enforcement agencies like Scotland Yard and the Information Commissioner’s Office [38762]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
The software failure incident reported in Article 38762 was primarily due to poor_decisions. The incident involved a "sophisticated cyber-attack" on Carphone Warehouse's IT systems, resulting in the potential exposure of personal data, including bank details, of millions of customers. The breach was a result of hackers breaching the systems, indicating a failure in the security measures implemented by the company [38762]. Additionally, the delay in informing affected customers about the breach raised concerns among customers, as highlighted in tweets questioning the company's handling of the situation [38762]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, unknown |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the cyber-attack on Carphone Warehouse's IT systems, affecting millions of customers. The breach was described as a "sophisticated cyber-attack," indicating that the hackers were able to exploit vulnerabilities in the system due to potential shortcomings in the development and maintenance of the IT infrastructure [38762].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident reported in Article 38762 was temporary. The incident involved a sophisticated cyber-attack on Carphone Warehouse's IT systems, leading to the potential exposure of personal data of millions of customers, including bank details. The breach was discovered, and immediate actions were taken, such as initiating investigations by forensic experts, notifying authorities like Scotland Yard and the Information Commissioner’s Office, and contacting affected customers by email. Affected websites were also taken down as a precautionary measure [38762]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the article can be categorized as a crash. The incident involved a "sophisticated cyber-attack" where hackers breached the IT systems of Carphone Warehouse, leading to the loss of personal data of millions of customers, including bank details [38762].
(b) omission: The incident can also be related to omission as the system failed to protect the personal data of customers, leading to the unauthorized access of sensitive information by hackers [38762].
(c) timing: There is no specific mention of timing-related failures in the article.
(d) value: The incident does not directly relate to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly.
(e) byzantine: The incident does not exhibit characteristics of a byzantine failure.
(f) other: The other behavior exhibited in this software failure incident is a security breach due to a cyber-attack, resulting in unauthorized access to customer data and potential financial information [38762]. |