| Recurring |
multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident having happened again at one_organization:
The article does not mention any previous incidents of a similar nature happening at Anthem Inc. It primarily focuses on the data breach incident that occurred at Anthem Inc. [33638].
(b) The software failure incident having happened again at multiple_organization:
The article mentions that the FBI had warned in August about healthcare industry companies being targeted by hackers, citing a previous attack on U.S. hospital group Community Health Systems Inc that resulted in the theft of millions of patient records. This indicates that similar incidents have occurred at multiple organizations within the healthcare industry [33638]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in Article 33638 was primarily due to a breach in one of Anthem Inc's IT systems, indicating a failure related to the design phase. The breach allowed hackers to steal personal information of millions of customers and employees, highlighting a vulnerability in the system's design that enabled unauthorized access to sensitive data [33638].
(b) Additionally, the incident could also be attributed to factors related to the operation phase. The breach was a result of a "very sophisticated attack," indicating that the system's operation and security measures may have been inadequate to prevent such intrusions. The misuse of the system by hackers exploiting vulnerabilities points to operational weaknesses that allowed the breach to occur [33638]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident reported in the article about Anthem Inc. being hacked and personal information being stolen was primarily due to a vulnerability within the company's IT system. Anthem mentioned that the breach involved hackers accessing one of its IT systems and stealing personal information of customers and employees. The company immediately made efforts to close the security vulnerability within its system [33638].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident was also influenced by factors originating from outside the system. The article highlighted that cybersecurity firm FireEye Inc. was hired to help Anthem investigate the attack, indicating the involvement of external expertise to address the breach. Additionally, the FBI was informed about the attack, suggesting external involvement in handling the aftermath of the incident [33638]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was not due to non-human actions but rather a sophisticated cyberattack by hackers. The breach involved hackers breaching Anthem Inc's IT systems and stealing personal information of millions of customers and employees [33638].
(b) The failure was primarily due to human actions, specifically the actions of the hackers who conducted the cyberattack on Anthem Inc's IT systems. The breach was described as a "very sophisticated attack" that resulted in the theft of personal information such as names, birthdays, social security numbers, and more [33638]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident reported in Article 33638 was not due to hardware issues but rather a sophisticated cyber attack by hackers who breached Anthem Inc's IT systems and stole personal information of millions of customers and employees. The breach did not involve medical information or financial details like credit card numbers, indicating that the failure originated from external factors (hackers) rather than internal hardware issues [33638].
(b) The software failure incident in Article 33638 was primarily due to contributing factors originating in software, as hackers exploited a security vulnerability in Anthem Inc's IT systems to gain unauthorized access to sensitive personal information. The attack was described as "very sophisticated," highlighting the software-related weaknesses that were exploited by the hackers [33638]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident reported in Article 33638 is malicious in nature. The incident involved hackers breaching Anthem Inc's IT systems and stealing personal information of current and former consumers and employees. The attack was described as a "very sophisticated attack" by Anthem, indicating a deliberate and targeted effort to compromise the system's security [33638]. Additionally, the FBI had warned about healthcare industry companies being targeted by hackers, highlighting the malicious intent behind such cyber attacks [33638].
(b) There is no information in the articles to suggest that the software failure incident was non-malicious. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
The software failure incident reported in Article 33638 does not directly point to a software failure caused by poor decisions or accidental decisions. The incident described is a cybersecurity breach where hackers targeted the IT systems of health insurer Anthem Inc, resulting in the theft of personal information of millions of customers and employees. The breach was described as a "very sophisticated attack" and involved the theft of sensitive data such as names, birthdays, social security numbers, and addresses. Anthem took immediate action to address the security vulnerability and reported the attack to the FBI. The incident highlights the persistent threats faced in cybersecurity and the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures in the healthcare industry. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the article does not seem to be related to development incompetence. The incident was primarily a result of a sophisticated cyberattack by hackers targeting the IT systems of health insurer Anthem Inc, leading to the theft of personal information of millions of customers and employees [33638].
(b) The software failure incident can be categorized as accidental as it was not caused by development incompetence but rather by external malicious actors who breached the IT systems of Anthem Inc through a sophisticated cyberattack. The breach was not due to accidental factors but rather a deliberate and targeted attack on the company's systems [33638]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident reported in Article 33638 was temporary. The incident involved a breach in Anthem Inc's IT systems by hackers, resulting in the theft of personal information of current and former consumers and employees. Anthem took immediate action to close the security vulnerability and reported the attack to the FBI. Additionally, cybersecurity firm FireEye Inc was hired to help investigate the attack. This indicates that the failure was due to specific circumstances introduced by the hacking incident and not a permanent failure [33638]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the article can be categorized as a crash as the system lost its state and did not perform its intended functions due to being breached by hackers [33638].
(b) omission: The software failure incident can also be categorized as an omission as the system omitted to protect the personal information of current and former consumers and employees, leading to the data breach [33638].
(c) timing: The software failure incident does not align with a timing failure as there is no indication that the system performed its intended functions too late or too early [33638].
(d) value: The software failure incident can be categorized as a value failure as the system failed to protect the personal information correctly, resulting in the theft of names, birthdays, social security numbers, addresses, and other sensitive data [33638].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not align with a byzantine failure as there is no mention of inconsistent responses or interactions within the system [33638].
(f) other: The other behavior exhibited by the software failure incident is a security vulnerability that allowed hackers to breach the system and steal personal information, highlighting a failure in the system's security measures [33638]. |