Incident: Samsung TouchWiz Copy-Paste Bug Causes App Crashes and Restarts

Published Date: 2013-02-22

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident with the copy-paste bug in Samsung's TouchWiz software happened in October 2012 [16916].
System 1. Samsung TouchWiz software 2. Samsung Galaxy Note 2 3. Samsung Galaxy Tab 2
Responsible Organization 1. Samsung [16916]
Impacted Organization 1. Users of Samsung smartphones and tablets [16916] 2. Developers affected by the copy-paste bug in Samsung's TouchWiz software [16916]
Software Causes 1. Copy-paste bug in Samsung's TouchWiz software causing apps to crash when users try to copy text [16916] 2. Failure to provide a timely fix for the bug despite user complaints and developer acknowledgments [16916] 3. Lack of clear communication from Samsung regarding affected devices, resolution timeline, and update details [16916]
Non-software Causes 1. Lack of clear communication from Samsung regarding the issue and its resolution [16916] 2. Delay in fixing the bug despite user complaints dating back to June the previous year [16916] 3. Removal of the ability to copy text as a potential attempt to address the issue [16916]
Impacts 1. Apps crashing when users try to copy text, leading to the need for a factory reset and data reload [16916]. 2. Phone restarting spontaneously [16916]. 3. Inability to copy and paste from a web browser after a Samsung app update [16916].
Preventions 1. Regular and timely software updates addressing known bugs and issues could have prevented the software failure incident [16916]. 2. Transparent communication from the company regarding the issue and its resolution progress could have helped prevent the incident by building user trust and awareness [16916].
Fixes 1. Regular over-the-air (OTA) software update which began rolling out last year [16916] 2. Clear communication and transparency from Samsung regarding the affected devices, the nature of the bug, and the rollout plan for the fix [16916]
References 1. Users and developers affected by the copy-paste bug in Samsung's TouchWiz software [16916] 2. Terence Eden, a British developer affected by the bug [16916] 3. Scott Jones, a Samsung user who experienced the removal of copy and paste functionality on his Galaxy Tab 2 [16916] 4. Konrad Krakowiak, a Samsung developer who acknowledged the bug on October 29, 2012 [16916]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident has happened again at Samsung. The article mentions that the copy-paste bug affecting Samsung smartphones and tablets has resurfaced, with users experiencing crashes when trying to copy text and having to resort to factory resets to resolve the issue. Despite Samsung's claims of providing a fix through OTA updates, users like Terence Eden and Scott Jones have reported ongoing problems with the bug even after supposed updates. The lack of clear communication and delays in addressing the issue have led to frustration among users [16916]. (b) The software failure incident has also affected other users beyond Samsung devices. The article mentions a British developer, Terence Eden, who was affected by the bug on his Samsung phone. Additionally, Scott Jones reported experiencing the issue on his Galaxy Tab 2, where the option to copy text was removed after an update. This indicates that the copy-paste bug may not be limited to Samsung devices alone, as users from different backgrounds and devices have encountered similar problems with copying text functionality [16916].
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the delayed response by Samsung to address the copy-paste bug in its TouchWiz software. Users had been complaining about apps crashing when trying to copy text since June the previous year, and despite complaints on various forums, including Samsung's own Developers forum, the company took eight months to issue a statement acknowledging the issue [16916]. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is highlighted by a user's experience where Samsung attempted to "fix" the problem by removing the ability to copy text on the device through an over-the-air update. This action led to the user's copy and paste function no longer working in any browser after an update, indicating a failure introduced during the operation or misuse of the system [16916].
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the copy-paste bug in Samsung's TouchWiz software was primarily within the system. Users reported that apps crash when they try to copy text, and the only solution is to perform a factory reset and reload the apps and data. Additionally, the bug causing the crash when the user copies text to the clipboard multiple times was acknowledged by a Samsung developer, indicating an internal issue within the software itself [16916]. (b) outside_system: There is no specific mention in the articles of contributing factors originating from outside the system that led to the software failure incident.
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions, human_actions (a) The software failure incident in this case is primarily due to non-human actions, specifically a copy-paste bug in Samsung's TouchWiz software that causes apps to crash when users try to copy text. Users have reported that the issue can only be resolved through a factory reset of the phone and reloading the apps. Samsung has been accused of lying by a British developer affected by the bug, and there have been delays in fixing the issue despite user complaints on various forums. The company mentioned that the problem can only occur in extremely rare circumstances and can be prevented through a software update, but users like Terence Eden have disputed this claim, stating that the bug persists even on the latest software version provided by Samsung [16916]. (b) Human actions have also played a role in this software failure incident. Samsung's response to the issue, the delay in fixing it, and the lack of clear communication with customers have all been attributed to human actions within the company. The developer who acknowledged the bug in October 2012 did not provide a clear timetable for a fix, and there has been a lack of public acknowledgment of the problem until later. Users like Scott Jones reported that after receiving an update over the air for his Galaxy Tab 2, the option to copy text was removed, indicating human intervention in attempting to address the issue [16916].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) software (a) The software failure incident in the articles seems to be primarily related to software issues rather than hardware. Users of Samsung smartphones and tablets have been experiencing problems such as apps crashing when trying to copy text, spontaneous phone restarts, and the inability to copy and paste after a software update. These issues are attributed to a copy-paste bug in Samsung's TouchWiz software that sits on top of Android [16916]. The bug causing the crashes and copy-paste problems is a software issue originating in the TouchWiz software implemented by Samsung on their devices.
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) non-malicious (a) The software failure incident described in the articles is non-malicious. The failure was due to a copy-paste bug in Samsung's TouchWiz software that caused apps to crash when users tried to copy text. Users reported that the only solution was to perform a factory reset of the phone and reload the apps. Samsung responded to the complaints by attempting to fix the issue through software updates and by removing the ability to copy text on some devices. The delay in fixing the bug and lack of clear communication about affected devices and solutions were highlighted by users and developers affected by the issue [16916].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) poor_decisions (a) The software failure incident related to the copy-paste bug in Samsung's TouchWiz software can be attributed to poor decisions made by Samsung. Despite user complaints dating back to June the previous year, Samsung took eight months to address the issue. The company initially claimed that the problem only occurred in extremely rare circumstances and could be easily prevented through a software update. However, users like Terence Eden and Scott Jones criticized Samsung for not providing adequate information or timely fixes for the bug. Eden specifically called Samsung's response a "lie" and highlighted the lack of transparency and communication with customers regarding the issue [16916].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) development_incompetence, accidental (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as a British developer affected by the copy-paste bug in Samsung's TouchWiz software accused Samsung of "lying" in their response to the issue. The developer highlighted that Samsung had not provided any information to their customers about the bug and had not released any fix for the Note 2 despite the company's claims of an OTA update being available [16916]. (b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is seen in the article when a Samsung user, Scott Jones, reported that after receiving an update over the air for his Galaxy Tab 2, the option to copy text was removed, leading to copy and paste functionality no longer working in any browser. This accidental change in functionality occurred after the update, indicating an unintended consequence of the software update [16916].
Duration temporary (a) The software failure incident described in the articles seems to be more of a temporary nature. Users reported issues with apps crashing when trying to copy text, and some users even experienced spontaneous restarts on their Samsung devices. Samsung acknowledged the bug but did not provide a clear timetable for a fix. Additionally, one user mentioned that after receiving an update over the air for his Galaxy Tab 2, the option to copy text was removed, indicating a temporary change to address the issue [16916].
Behaviour crash, omission, other (a) crash: The software failure incident described in the articles involves crashes where apps crash when users try to copy text, leading to the need for a factory reset to resolve the issue. Users have reported that the phone restarts spontaneously as well, indicating a crash behavior [16916]. (b) omission: The incident also involves an omission behavior where users have found that after an update, the option to copy text was removed, leading to the inability to copy and paste from a web browser. This omission of expected functionality caused inconvenience to users [16916]. (c) timing: There is no specific mention of a timing-related failure in the articles. (d) value: The software failure incident does not seem to involve a value-related failure. (e) byzantine: The incident does not exhibit a byzantine behavior. (f) other: The "other" behavior observed in this software failure incident is the lack of clear communication and transparency from Samsung regarding the issue. Users have criticized Samsung for not providing adequate information about the problem, the affected devices, the fix timeline, and the update status, leading to frustration and confusion among users [16916].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception None None
Communication None None
Application None None

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence property (a) death: People lost their lives due to the software failure (b) harm: People were physically harmed due to the software failure (c) basic: People's access to food or shelter was impacted because of the software failure (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure (e) delay: People had to postpone an activity due to the software failure (f) non-human: Non-human entities were impacted due to the software failure (g) no_consequence: There were no real observed consequences of the software failure (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed of the software failure that did not occur (i) other: Was there consequence(s) of the software failure not described in the (a to h) options? What is the other consequence(s)? The consequence of the software failure incident described in the articles is primarily related to property (d) as users of Samsung smartphones and tablets experienced crashes and had to perform factory resets to resolve the issue, impacting their data and device functionality [16916]. Additionally, the removal of the copy and paste functionality due to the bug affected users' ability to perform certain tasks on their devices [16916].
Domain information (a) The software failure incident reported in the articles is related to the information industry. The incident involves a copy-paste bug in Samsung's TouchWiz software that affects users of Samsung smartphones and tablets, causing apps to crash when they try to copy text [16916]. The bug has led to complaints from users and developers, indicating a disruption in the production and distribution of information.

Sources

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