| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) In the provided article [10749], it is mentioned that Microsoft's Xbox 360 faced a software failure incident related to the protection of user data after the console is restored to factory settings. Researchers at Drexel University discovered that personal data, including credit card information, might still be accessible even after the device has been reset. Microsoft's response to the incident was to emphasize that Xbox is not designed to store credit card data locally on the console and that they have processes in place to wipe the local hard drives of any other user data when refurbishing used consoles. This incident highlights a failure in protecting user data within Microsoft's Xbox 360 ecosystem.
(b) The article [10749] does not provide information about similar incidents happening at other organizations or with their products and services. Therefore, it is unknown if similar incidents have occurred elsewhere. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article where researchers at Drexel University discovered a vulnerability in the Xbox 360 console. They found that personal data, including credit card information, could still be accessed even after the console was restored to factory settings. This indicates a design flaw in the system's data wiping mechanism, allowing sensitive information to remain on the hard drive [10749].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the misuse of the Xbox 360 console by users who trade it in without taking proper precautions to protect their personal data. The incident highlights the importance of users being aware of the potential risks involved in not securely wiping their devices before disposal or trade-in [10749]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
The software failure incident reported in the article [10749] involves a potential data security issue with Microsoft's Xbox 360. The incident boundary can be analyzed as follows:
(a) within_system: The failure is related to the Xbox 360 system itself, particularly concerning how the console handles user data after being restored to factory settings. Researchers found that personal data, including credit card information, might still be accessible even after the device has been reset. This indicates a flaw within the system's data handling mechanisms.
(b) outside_system: On the other hand, Microsoft's response to the researchers' findings suggests that the company does not believe credit card data is stored locally on the console and questions the validity of the claims. This external perspective from Microsoft challenges the researchers' assertions and implies that the issue may not be originating from within the Xbox system but could be influenced by external factors or misunderstandings about how the system operates. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the article is related to non-human actions. The issue arises from the Xbox 360 potentially not properly protecting user data after the console is restored to factory settings. Researchers at Drexel University discovered that personal data, including credit card information, might still be accessible to malicious hackers even after the device has been reset. This failure is attributed to the software not completely wiping the data from the hard drive, leaving it vulnerable to exploitation [10749].
(b) The software failure incident is not directly linked to human actions causing the failure. However, human actions, such as trading in consoles or using modding software, can inadvertently expose the vulnerability in the software's data protection mechanisms. The incident highlights the importance of proper data handling practices by users, such as removing the hard drive and using third-party tools for secure formatting [10749]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
The incident reported in the article [10749] involves a potential security vulnerability in Microsoft's Xbox 360 console when it comes to protecting user data after the console is restored to factory settings. Researchers at Drexel University discovered that personal data, including credit card information, might still be accessible on the hard drive even after a reset. This issue is related to the hardware aspect of the Xbox 360 console, specifically the hard drive, which may not be completely wiped of user data during the restoration process.
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
On the software side, Microsoft's response to the researchers' findings suggests that the Xbox console is not designed to store credit card data locally on the console. Microsoft's security general manager mentioned that they have processes in place to wipe the local hard drives of any other user data when refurbishing used consoles. This discrepancy between the researchers' claims and Microsoft's statements points to a potential software-related issue in how data wiping and security measures are implemented on the Xbox 360 console. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Xbox 360 reported in Article 10749 can be categorized as malicious. Researchers at Drexel University discovered that personal data, including credit card information, of previous owners could be accessed by malicious hackers after the console is restored to factory settings. The incident involved intentional actions by the researchers to access sensitive information on the device's hard drive using modding software [10749]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Xbox 360 not protecting user data after the console is restored to factory settings can be attributed to poor decisions made by Microsoft in terms of protecting user data. The incident highlighted that while Microsoft does a good job of protecting their proprietary information, they do not do a great job of protecting user data [10749]. This failure can be seen as a result of poor decisions in prioritizing the protection of user data on the console. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as researchers at Drexel University were able to access the previous owner's credit card information from a refurbished Xbox 360 by downloading modding software and targeting the device's hard drive [10749]. This indicates a lack of professional competence in ensuring proper data protection and privacy measures during the refurbishing process.
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is highlighted in Microsoft's response to the researchers' findings. Microsoft's security general manager mentioned that Xbox consoles are not designed to store credit card data locally on the console, and the company has processes in place to wipe the local hard drives of any other user data during refurbishment [10749]. This suggests that the incident might have been accidental rather than intentional. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident reported in the article is more likely to be temporary rather than permanent. This is indicated by Microsoft's response to the researchers' findings. Microsoft's security general manager mentioned that they have processes in place to wipe the local hard drives of any other user data when refurbishing used consoles, indicating that the issue might be specific to certain circumstances rather than a permanent flaw in the system [10749]. |
| Behaviour |
other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident reported in the article does not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. The issue discussed is related to the potential exposure of user data on Xbox 360 consoles even after they have been restored to factory settings [10749].
(b) omission: The incident does not involve a failure due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). Instead, it revolves around the concern that personal data might not be adequately protected when users trade in their Xbox 360 consoles after restoring them to factory settings [10749].
(c) timing: The failure is not related to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The focus is on the potential risk of user data being left open to malicious hackers even after the device has been restored to factory settings, raising concerns about the security of personal information [10749].
(d) value: The software failure incident is not characterized by the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The issue discussed in the article pertains to the security of user data on Xbox 360 consoles and the potential exposure of sensitive information like credit card details [10749].
(e) byzantine: The incident does not involve a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The main concern highlighted in the article is the possibility of personal data remaining accessible on the console even after a factory reset, potentially exposing sensitive information to unauthorized access [10749].
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be categorized as a privacy and security vulnerability. Despite Microsoft's assurance that Xbox consoles are not designed to store credit card data locally and that processes are in place to wipe user data during refurbishment, the researchers' findings suggest a potential gap in data protection that could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information [10749]. |