| Recurring |
multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the USB Killer device created by Dark Purple does not indicate any previous incidents happening within the same organization or with its products and services. Therefore, there is no information available about a similar incident happening again at one_organization.
(b) The article mentions a related incident discovered by a team of Berlin-based researchers who reverse-engineered the files controlling how a USB drive's software works. This incident, dubbed BadUSB, affected thumb drives, external hard drives, keyboards, mice, and other devices connecting to a PC using USB [34964]. This indicates that a similar incident has happened before at multiple organizations or with their products and services. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the development of the 'USB Killer' device. The device was designed to use high voltage and current to 'fry' the electronics inside the USB port, potentially damaging the entire laptop. This design flaw was intentional, as the creator aimed to destroy the components of the computer through the USB port [34964].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is exemplified by the BadUSB exploit discovered by Berlin-based researchers. This exploit involved reprogramming the firmware of USB drives to give complete control of a PC to hackers. The misuse of USB drives and other USB-connected devices allowed attackers to take advantage of the firmware vulnerability, leading to potential security breaches and compromised systems [34964]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident described in the articles is primarily within the system. The incident involves a malicious USB drive, dubbed 'USB Killer', that uses high voltage and current to 'fry' the laptop's components. The drive is designed to exploit the USB 'physics' built into the processor of modern computers, ultimately causing damage to the internal electronics of the port and potentially affecting the entire laptop [34964]. Additionally, the articles mention how the firmware of USB drives can be reverse-engineered and reprogrammed to give complete control of a PC to hackers, indicating vulnerabilities within the system that can be exploited [34964]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident related to non-human_actions in this case is the creation of the 'USB Killer' device by Dark Purple. The device uses high voltage and current to 'fry' the electronics inside the USB port, potentially damaging the entire laptop. This incident was not directly caused by human actions but rather by the design and functionality of the malicious USB drive [34964].
(b) The software failure incident related to human_actions in this case is the reverse-engineering and reprogramming of USB drive firmware by Berlin-based researchers. This reprogramming allowed hackers to gain complete control of a PC through the USB drive, demonstrating a vulnerability in the USB software that could be exploited by human actions [34964]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware can be seen in the article where a malicious USB drive, dubbed 'USB Killer', was created to physically destroy a computer's components by using high voltage and current to 'fry' the electronics inside the port. This incident demonstrates a hardware-related failure as the USB drive directly targets and damages the hardware components of the laptop [34964].
(b) The software failure incident related to software can be observed in the article discussing the discovery of the BadUSB flaw by Berlin-based researchers. This flaw involves reprogramming the firmware of USB drives to give complete control of a PC to hackers. The issue originates in the software, specifically in the firmware of USB drives, allowing attackers to manipulate the software to compromise the security and control of the computer system [34964]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The objective of the software failure incident was malicious. The incident involved a malicious USB drive, dubbed 'USB Killer', created by a Russian electronics expert known as Dark Purple. This drive used high voltage and current to 'fry' the laptop's components, with the intention to destroy or at least damage the system. The user behind the project explicitly mentioned the goal of the USB flash drive was to burn or kill the USB port and potentially affect the entire laptop [34964]. Additionally, the incident highlighted the potential dangers associated with USB drives being used as tools for destructive purposes rather than for their intended functionality.
(b) There is no information provided in the articles about a non-malicious software failure incident. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident related to poor_decisions:
- The incident involving the 'USB Killer' device was a deliberate act by the Russian electronics expert known as Dark Purple. Dark Purple intentionally created a malicious USB drive that uses high voltage and current to 'fry' the laptop's components, with the goal of causing damage to the computer's USB port and potentially the entire system [34964].
(b) The intent of the software failure incident related to accidental_decisions:
- There is no indication in the provided article that the software failure incident involving the 'USB Killer' device was a result of accidental decisions. The creation and use of the malicious USB drive were intentional and aimed at causing harm to computer systems [34964]. |
| 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 if the incident was due to contributing factors introduced due to lack of professional competence by humans or the development organization.
(b) The software failure incident related to an accidental factor is evident in the article. The incident involves a malicious USB drive, dubbed 'USB Killer', created by a Russian electronics expert known as Dark Purple. The drive uses high voltage and high current to 'fry' the electronics inside the port, potentially damaging the entire laptop. This accidental introduction of a destructive USB drive highlights a failure caused by accidental factors [34964]. |
| Duration |
unknown |
The articles do not provide information about a software failure incident being either permanent or temporary. |
| Behaviour |
other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident described in the articles does not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. The incident is more focused on a malicious USB drive that physically damages the computer's components rather than causing the system to crash [34964].
(b) omission: The software failure incident is not related to a system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). Instead, the incident involves a USB drive designed to physically damage the computer's components by using high voltage and current [34964].
(c) timing: The software failure incident is not about the system performing its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. It is more about the intentional design of a USB drive to cause physical damage to a computer when connected [34964].
(d) value: The software failure incident does not involve the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. It is not a case of software malfunction but rather a deliberate attempt to harm the computer's components using a specially designed USB drive [34964].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit the characteristics of a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The incident is more about a malicious USB drive designed to physically damage the computer's components [34964].
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be categorized as a deliberate act of sabotage through a specially designed USB drive that physically destroys the computer's components when connected. This behavior falls outside the typical software failure categories and is more aligned with a malicious attack on hardware rather than a software malfunction [34964]. |