| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) being released in a rogue version on Google Play is an example of a software failure incident happening again within the same organization. This incident involved the release of an "older, unreleased version" of BBM for Android, which interfered with the company's plans for the official launch of the app [21465].
(b) The articles do not provide information about a similar software failure incident happening at other organizations or with their products and services. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in the article can be attributed to the design phase. The failure occurred due to the release of an "older, unreleased version" of BBM for Android, which was posted on file-sharing sites and then onto Google Play, interfering with the company's plans for the official launch of the finished app. This rogue version resulted in abnormal data traffic and impacted the system in abnormal ways, causing significant issues for the company's launch plans [21465].
(b) The software failure incident in the article can also be linked to the operation phase. The rogue version of BBM for Android, which was released prematurely, led to a situation where the company could not block users of the unreleased version. This operational challenge of dealing with the unauthorized release and the subsequent impact on the system's performance highlights issues related to the operation or misuse of the system [21465]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the launch of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) on the iPhone and Android platforms was primarily caused by factors originating from within the system. The rogue version of BBM for Android, which was an "older, unreleased version" posted on file-sharing sites and Google Play, led to abnormal data traffic and system interference. This internal issue resulted in the postponement of the official release and the need for adjustments to block the fake app when the official one goes live [21465].
(b) outside_system: The incident also involved external factors, such as the presence of fake apps on Google Play claiming to be BBM and the actions of developers trying to make money illegally by offering unauthorized versions of the app. These external elements, including deceptive behavior and infringing apps, contributed to the software failure incident [21465]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was primarily due to non-human actions. A rogue version of the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) for Android was released onto Google Play, resulting in abnormal data traffic and impacting the system in abnormal ways [21465].
(b) Human actions also played a role in this software failure incident. Developers uploaded the unauthorized version of BBM to Google Play in an attempt to make money through illegal means. Additionally, fake apps were created to deceive users and generate revenue through advertisements and fake ratings [21465]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident in the article was not directly attributed to hardware issues. The failure was primarily caused by the release of a rogue version of the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) app on the Android platform, which led to abnormal data traffic and system impact [21465].
(b) The software failure incident was primarily due to contributing factors originating in software. The release of an "older, unreleased version" of BBM for Android on file-sharing sites and Google Play interfered with the company's launch plans, resulting in abnormal data traffic and system impact. Additionally, fake apps on Google Play claiming to be BBM were causing issues such as high volumes of downloads and deceptive behavior, impacting the official release of the app [21465]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is non-malicious. The failure occurred due to a rogue version of the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) app being released on Google Play, which resulted in abnormal data traffic and impacted the system in abnormal ways. The rogue version was an older, unreleased version of BBM for Android that was posted on file-sharing sites and then onto Google Play, interfering with the company's plans for the official launch [21465]. Additionally, developers created fake apps to make money through adverts and by forcing users to give them five-star ratings, which pushed the fake apps up the rankings [21465]. These actions were not with the intent to harm the system but rather to exploit the situation for financial gain. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the launch of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) on the iPhone and Android platforms was primarily due to poor decisions made by individuals who released a rogue version of the app on Google Play. This rogue version, described as an "older, unreleased version" of BBM for Android, was posted on file-sharing sites and then onto Google Play, causing abnormal data traffic and impacting the system in abnormal ways [21465].
The developer who offered the rogue version of BBM on Google Play admitted that their purpose was to make money illegally, and they were aware that Google would delete the app within a few hours due to its unauthorized nature. Additionally, fake apps on Google Play, including those claiming to be from well-known companies like "Activision LLC," were used to generate revenue through advertisements and fake ratings [21465]. These actions demonstrate poor decisions made by individuals seeking to exploit the situation for financial gain, ultimately leading to the software failure incident. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident in the article can be attributed to development incompetence. The incident occurred because an older, unreleased version of the BBM app for Android was mistakenly posted on file-sharing sites and then onto Google Play, interfering with the company's plans for the official launch [21465].
(b) Additionally, the incident involved fake apps on Google Play claiming to be BBM, which were created by developers with the intention of making money illegally through adverts. These fake apps used deceptive tactics such as forcing users to give them a five-star rating before the app would start working, thus manipulating rankings [21465]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was temporary. The delay in the launch of the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) messaging app on the iPhone and Android platforms was caused by the release of a rogue version of the app on Google Play. This rogue version resulted in abnormal data traffic and impacted the system in abnormal ways, leading to the postponement of the official release [21465]. The incident was not a permanent failure but rather a temporary setback caused by the unauthorized release of the older version of the app. |
| Behaviour |
other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in this case did not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. Instead, the issue was related to the release of an older, unreleased version of the BBM app for Android, which resulted in abnormal data traffic and impacted the system in abnormal ways [Article 21465].
(b) omission: The incident did not involve the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). The issue was more about the unauthorized release of an older version of the BBM app on Android, leading to high data traffic and abnormal system behavior [Article 21465].
(c) timing: The failure was not related to the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. It was more about the impact of the rogue version of the BBM app causing abnormal data traffic and system interference [Article 21465].
(d) value: The software failure incident did not involve the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The issue was more about the unauthorized release of an older version of the BBM app causing abnormal system behavior and high data traffic [Article 21465].
(e) byzantine: The incident did not involve the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The primary issue was the release of an unauthorized version of the BBM app on Android, leading to abnormal data traffic and system impact [Article 21465].
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be categorized as unauthorized distribution of an older, unreleased version of the BBM app, resulting in abnormal data traffic and system interference. This behavior falls under the category of unauthorized distribution and misuse of software, leading to potential security and performance issues [Article 21465]. |