| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Year 2038 Problem has happened again within the same organization. Specifically, YouTube, which is owned by Google, experienced a similar issue when Psy's Gangnam Style video exceeded two billion views. This led to the counter breaking due to the system being set up on a 32-bit system. To address this, Google updated YouTube to run on a 64-bit system, which can handle a significantly larger number of views [56154].
(b) The software failure incident related to the Year 2038 Problem has also affected multiple organizations using 32-bit systems. The Year 2038 Problem specifically impacts software using a 32-bit integer system, which could lead to failures in various computers, programs, servers, and gadgets unless they are patched and upgraded in advance. This issue is not limited to a single organization but can potentially impact any entity using 32-bit systems [56154]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be attributed to the Year 2038 Problem affecting software using a 32-bit system. This issue arises from the limitation of 32-bit systems to store a limited range of numbers, leading to an 'integer overflow' when the clock strikes 03:14:07 UTC on Tuesday, 19 January 2038. This limitation was not foreseen during the design of 32-bit systems, causing a potential global failure for computers, programs, servers, and gadgets unless they are patched and upgraded in advance [56154].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is highlighted by the potential consequences of the Year 2038 Problem on various systems and programs. The failure due to operation factors is described as computers not being able to distinguish between the real time and date and the year 1901, leading to incorrect date displays, crashes, and potential wipeouts of systems relying on precise measurements. This issue can affect phones, flight systems, cars, and embedded systems that rely on accurate time and date storage, emphasizing the operational impact of the Year 2038 Problem [56154]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Year 2038 Problem is primarily within the system. The issue arises from the limitations of the 32-bit integer system used by computers, which leads to an 'integer overflow' when the clock strikes 03:14:07 UTC on Tuesday, 19 January 2038. This internal limitation causes the affected computers to not be able to distinguish between the real time and date and the year 1901, potentially leading to incorrect date displays, crashes, and failures in programs relying on precise measurements [56154]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
The software failure incident related to the Year 2038 Problem is a result of a bug in 32-bit systems that will cause computers to not be able to distinguish between the real time and date and the year 1901 when the clock strikes 03:14:07 UTC on Tuesday, 19 January 2038 [56154].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
The failure related to the Year 2038 Problem is not directly attributed to human actions but rather to the limitations of 32-bit systems and the way they handle time and dates. However, the resolution of the issue involved human intervention in updating systems to 64-bit to handle the problem, as seen in the case of Google updating YouTube to 64-bits to accommodate more views [56154]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The Year 2038 Problem is a software failure incident that is expected to occur due to a bug in 32-bit systems when the time reaches 03:14:07 UTC on Tuesday, 19 January 2038 [56154].
- The incident is related to the limitations of 32-bit systems in storing and processing data, specifically the issue of integer overflow when the counter runs out of usable bits and begins reporting a negative number [56154].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The Year 2038 Problem is a software failure incident caused by a bug in software using a 32-bit integer system [56154].
- The incident highlights the impact on software that relies on the internal clock to make precise measurements, potentially leading to crashes and incorrect date displays [56154].
- The need for software manufacturers to update to a 64-bit system to address the issue is also mentioned in the articles [56154]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Year 2038 Problem is non-malicious. It is a bug that affects software using a 32-bit system, causing computers to not be able to distinguish between the real time and date and the year 1901. This issue arises from the limitations of the 32-bit system in storing and processing time-related data, leading to a potential crash of affected systems unless patched and upgraded [56154]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Year 2038 Problem can be attributed to poor decisions made in the past regarding the use of 32-bit systems. These systems were limited in their ability to handle dates beyond a certain point, leading to the Year 2038 Problem where computers would not be able to distinguish between the real time and date and the year 1901. This limitation was a result of the decision to use 32-bit systems, which had a finite capacity for storing dates and times [56154]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article. Therefore, it is unknown whether the Year 2038 Problem was caused by development incompetence.
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is evident in the article. The Year 2038 Problem is described as a bug that affects software using a 32-bit system. This bug is expected to hit on January 19, 2038, and could lead to failures on a global scale unless systems are patched and upgraded in advance. The issue arises from the limitations of 32-bit systems in storing and processing time data, leading to a situation where affected computers cannot distinguish between the real time and date and the year 1901. This unintended consequence of the system design can cause software to crash and impact various devices and systems that rely on accurate time measurements [56154]. |
| Duration |
permanent |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Year 2038 Problem is expected to be permanent. This is because the issue arises from a fundamental limitation in 32-bit systems, where the counter runs out of usable bits and begins reporting a negative number, leading to an 'integer overflow' [56154]. This limitation affects all systems running on 32-bit architecture, and unless they are patched and upgraded to 64-bit systems, the problem will persist beyond the critical date of 19 January 2038. The impact of this failure is global and could potentially lead to crashes and incorrect date/time representations in affected systems. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident related to the Year 2038 Problem could lead to crashes in affected computers and programs that rely on the internal clock to make precise measurements. When the bug hits, computers will not be able to distinguish between the real time and date, potentially causing software to crash [56154].
(b) omission: The Year 2038 Problem could also result in the omission of correct dates by affected computers. Once the bug occurs, computers may not be able to distinguish between the real time and date, potentially leading to incorrect date displays or omissions of accurate dates [56154].
(c) timing: The software failure incident related to the Year 2038 Problem is not directly related to timing failures where the system performs its intended functions too late or too early. Instead, the issue is primarily about the system's inability to handle dates correctly beyond a certain point due to limitations in the 32-bit system [56154].
(d) value: The Year 2038 Problem does not directly involve failures related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly in terms of value. The issue is more about the system's inability to handle dates beyond a specific threshold, leading to potential crashes or incorrect date displays [56154].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident related to the Year 2038 Problem does not exhibit behaviors of inconsistency or erratic responses typically associated with Byzantine failures. The problem is more about a fundamental limitation in 32-bit systems regarding date handling rather than erratic behavior [56154].
(f) other: The other behavior observed in the software failure incident is the occurrence of an 'integer overflow.' This means that the counter in the affected systems has run out of usable bits and begins reporting a negative number, leading to the inability to distinguish between the real time and date and the year 1901 [56154]. |