| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) one_organization: The incident of software failure related to the massive hack where two million Facebook, Gmail, and Twitter passwords were stolen by the Pony Botnet is an example of a software failure incident that happened within the same organization (Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Yahoo) [55776].
(b) multiple_organization: The incident of the massive hack where two million account details were stolen from popular sites and email providers such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Yahoo is an example of a software failure incident that affected multiple organizations [55776]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is related to the design phase. The incident occurred due to the malicious software Pony botnet infecting computers and stealing account details from popular sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Yahoo. The stolen account information included a large number of credentials from various platforms, indicating a breach in the design or security measures of these systems [55776].
(b) The software failure incident is also related to the operation phase. Users were advised to change their passwords as a precautionary measure following the breach. Additionally, security experts recommended ensuring that antivirus software, browsers, and other applications are up-to-date to prevent their computers from becoming zombies controlled by the botnet. This highlights the importance of proper operation and maintenance procedures to prevent such incidents [55776]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident, in this case, the massive hack leading to the theft of two million account details from popular sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Yahoo, was caused by malicious software known as the Pony botnet infecting PCs and stealing the information [55776]. The breach affected users across the world, and the most common password found in the stolen data was '123456,' indicating weak password practices by users [55776]. Additionally, the Pony botnet infects computers and uses keylogging software to steal details by recording keystrokes and sending the information to hackers [55776].
(b) outside_system: The contributing factors originating from outside the system in this software failure incident include the cybercriminals in the Netherlands who were responsible for the hack and the server located in the Netherlands that was used to control a network of compromised computers (zombies) attached to the malicious Pony botnet [55776]. The hackers behind the Pony botnet initiated the hack on October 21, and there may be other servers in the region controlling the botnet, indicating external factors influencing the incident [55776]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was due to non-human actions, specifically the malicious Pony botnet infecting computers and stealing account details without human participation. The botnet used keylogging software to steal information by recording keystrokes and sending them to hackers [55776].
(b) The incident was also influenced by human actions as users were found to have used weak and commonly used passwords like '123456,' 'password,' and 'admin,' making it easier for the botnet to compromise their accounts [55776]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is primarily due to contributing factors that originate in software. The incident involved the theft of two million account details from popular sites and email providers like Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Yahoo by the malicious Pony botnet, which is a type of malware infecting PCs [55776].
The Pony botnet infects computers and uses keylogging software to steal details by recording keystrokes and sending the information to hackers. Additionally, the breach resulted in the compromise of various account credentials, including Facebook, Gmail, Google+, YouTube, Yahoo, Twitter, and other accounts [55776].
The incident highlights the importance of users changing their passwords as a precautionary measure, as the stolen account information could lead to unauthorized access and potential misuse of personal data [55776].
(b) The software failure incident is not directly attributed to hardware issues but rather to the exploitation of software vulnerabilities by the malicious Pony botnet. The incident involves the theft of account details and passwords from various online platforms, indicating a software-related security breach [55776]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is malicious. The incident involved the theft of two million account details from popular sites and email providers such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Yahoo by the Pony botnet, which is described as malicious software infecting PCs [55776]. The hackers used keylogging software to steal details by recording keystrokes on infected computers and sending the information to the hackers. The breach affected users across various countries, and common passwords like '123456' were found in many compromised accounts. Security experts advised users to change their passwords as a precautionary measure, and authorities were contacted to take down the server controlling the botnet [55776]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is primarily due to poor decisions made by users in terms of weak password choices. The most common password found in the stolen account details was '123456,' followed by other easily guessable passwords like 'password,' 'admin,' and '123' [55776]. Security expert Graham Cluley highlighted the issue of users using such simple passwords and reusing them across multiple accounts, making them extremely easy to crack [55776].
(b) The software failure incident can also be attributed to accidental decisions or unintended actions by users who unknowingly fell victim to the Pony botnet malware. The malware infected computers and used keylogging software to steal account details by recording keystrokes and sending the information to hackers [55776]. Additionally, users who were affected by the breach may have unintentionally contributed to the incident by not keeping their antivirus software, browsers, and applications up-to-date, potentially allowing their computers to become part of the botnet [55776]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident in this case can be attributed to development incompetence. The incident involved the theft of two million account details from popular sites and email providers like Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Yahoo. The breach resulted from the actions of cybercriminals in the Netherlands who used malicious software known as the Pony botnet to infect PCs and steal the account information [55776]. The breach affected a significant number of accounts, including Facebook, Gmail, Google+, YouTube, Yahoo, Twitter, and other services. The breach highlights the importance of professional competence in developing secure systems to prevent such incidents. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident described in the articles is temporary. The incident involved the theft of two million account details from popular sites and email providers due to the malicious Pony botnet infecting computers and stealing information through keylogging software. Security experts discovered the breach and took actions to address it, including contacting authorities in the Netherlands to take down the server, informing the affected sites and services, and notifying the internet service providers of infected computers. Additionally, affected users were advised to change their passwords as a precautionary measure [Article 55776]. |
| Behaviour |
value, 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. The incident involves the theft of account details by the Pony botnet, which is a malicious software infecting PCs [55776].
(b) omission: The software failure incident does not involve omission where the system omits to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). Instead, the incident involves the theft of account details from popular sites and email providers like Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Yahoo by the Pony botnet [55776].
(c) timing: The software failure incident does not involve timing issues where the system performs its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The incident primarily revolves around the theft of account details and passwords by the malicious Pony botnet [55776].
(d) value: The software failure incident does involve a failure in terms of value where the system performs its intended functions incorrectly. In this case, the Pony botnet successfully stole account details from various platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Yahoo, affecting millions of users worldwide [55776].
(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 more straightforward, involving the theft of account details by the Pony botnet without complex interactions or inconsistencies [55776].
(f) other: The software failure incident involves a security breach where the Pony botnet infects computers, steals account details using keylogging software, and controls a network of compromised computers known as 'zombies.' The incident also highlights the common use of weak passwords like '123456,' 'password,' and 'admin,' leading to the compromise of user accounts [55776]. |