| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to Adobe's Flash plugin has happened again at Adobe itself. The article mentions that Adobe's Flash plugin has been hit by a "zero-day" exploit, with this vulnerability being just the latest in a long string of weaknesses from Flash [Article 52325].
(b) The software failure incident related to Adobe's Flash plugin has also happened at multiple organizations. The article mentions that several high-profile video streaming services, including Sky TV and Netflix, switched to Microsoft’s Silverlight instead of Flash. Additionally, the move towards using native HTML5 for the majority of Flash uses has been welcomed by most large US technology companies, including Google and Apple, which have moved towards more modern and secure technologies [Article 38030]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the articles through the vulnerabilities and weaknesses in Adobe's Flash plugin. The articles mention that there have been multiple vulnerabilities actively exploited in Flash, leading to security concerns and the need for urgent patches [38030, 52325]. These vulnerabilities were introduced during the development and maintenance of the Flash plugin, indicating a design failure in ensuring robust security measures.
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the exploitation of vulnerabilities in Flash by hackers through phishing emails and malicious websites. Users who clicked on these links unknowingly installed malware on their computers, highlighting the impact of operational misuse or user actions on system security [52325]. This operational failure contributed to the successful execution of attacks exploiting the weaknesses in the software. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to Adobe's Flash plugin vulnerabilities and exploits can be attributed to factors originating from within the system. Adobe's Flash plugin itself had a series of vulnerabilities being actively exploited, leading to security concerns and the need for urgent patches [38030, 52325]. Adobe struggled to keep up with the number of bugs and vulnerabilities within Flash, indicating internal issues with the software [38030]. Additionally, the vulnerability exploited by hackers allowed them to install software on users' computers, highlighting weaknesses within the Flash plugin [52325].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident related to Adobe's Flash plugin can also be linked to factors originating from outside the system. Hackers exploited vulnerabilities in Flash to install malware on users' computers through phishing emails and malicious websites, indicating external threats targeting the software [52325]. The incident also led to calls for users to uninstall Flash, suggesting external pressures on the software's reputation and security [52325]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
- The articles highlight vulnerabilities in Adobe's Flash plugin being actively exploited by hackers, leading to security concerns and the need for browsers like Firefox to block Flash from running [38030].
- The incidents include zero-day exploits targeting Flash, where even users with fully up-to-date installations are vulnerable to attacks, showcasing weaknesses in the software itself [52325].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
- The articles mention that Adobe has struggled to keep up with the number of bugs and vulnerabilities being exposed within Flash, indicating potential shortcomings in the development and maintenance processes [38030].
- Security researchers at Trend Micro reported on a hacking campaign exploiting Flash vulnerabilities through phishing emails, suggesting that human actions by hackers are actively targeting and exploiting these weaknesses [52325]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The articles do not mention any specific hardware-related issues contributing to the software failure incidents discussed in the articles. Therefore, it is unknown if the incidents were caused by hardware-related factors.
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The software failure incidents discussed in the articles are primarily related to vulnerabilities and exploits within Adobe's Flash plugin. These vulnerabilities have been actively exploited by hackers, leading to security concerns and the need for urgent patches from Adobe [38030, 52325].
- The incidents highlight the challenges faced by Adobe in keeping up with the number of bugs and vulnerabilities in Flash, leading to calls for the end-of-life of Flash and the transition to more modern and secure technologies like HTML5 [38030, 52325].
- The vulnerabilities in Flash have allowed hackers to install malware on users' computers through phishing emails and malicious websites, emphasizing the software-related issues within the Flash plugin [52325]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to Adobe's Flash plugin can be categorized as malicious. The incident involved a series of vulnerabilities actively exploited by hackers, leading to the installation of malware on users' computers against their will [38030, 52325]. Additionally, there were zero-day exploits targeting Flash, indicating that the vulnerabilities were being leveraged by malicious actors to compromise systems [52325]. The incident prompted security experts to call for the end-of-life of Flash due to its ongoing security issues and susceptibility to attacks [38030]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to Adobe's Flash plugin can be attributed to poor_decisions. Adobe's Flash plugin has been plagued by a series of vulnerabilities that have been actively exploited by hackers, leading to security concerns and calls for its discontinuation [38030, 52325]. Despite these known vulnerabilities, Adobe has struggled to keep up with patching the security bugs and updating the plugin, indicating poor decision-making in maintaining the security of the software. Additionally, the failure to address these vulnerabilities in a timely manner has resulted in renewed calls for users to uninstall Flash, further highlighting the consequences of poor decisions in software development and maintenance. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence can be seen in the articles. Adobe's Flash plugin has been plagued by a series of vulnerabilities and zero-day exploits, leading to security concerns and calls for its discontinuation. Adobe has struggled to keep up with the number of bugs and vulnerabilities being exposed within Flash [38030]. Additionally, Adobe was forced to issue urgent patches after zero-day vulnerabilities were exploited by hackers, indicating a lack of robust security measures in the development process [52325].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is evident in the articles as well. Hackers exploited vulnerabilities in Flash through phishing emails containing links to websites hosting the exploit, leading to the installation of malware on users' computers [52325]. This accidental exposure to vulnerabilities highlights the risks associated with using software that is prone to exploitation due to unintentional weaknesses in its design or implementation. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident related to Adobe's Flash plugin can be categorized as a temporary failure. This is evident from the fact that the vulnerabilities and exploits in Flash have been actively exploited, leading to urgent patches being issued by Adobe to address the security weaknesses [38030, 52325]. Additionally, there have been calls for users to uninstall Flash due to the ongoing vulnerabilities and risks associated with using the plugin [52325]. The incident is temporary as it is caused by specific circumstances such as zero-day exploits and vulnerabilities, which can be addressed through patches and updates. |
| Behaviour |
omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The articles do not mention any instances of the software crashing.
(b) omission: The articles highlight instances where the Flash plugin omitted to perform its intended functions due to vulnerabilities being actively exploited, leading to the blocking of Flash by Mozilla and calls for its end-of-life [38030, 52325].
(c) timing: There is no mention of the software failure incident being related to timing issues.
(d) value: The software failure incident is related to the Flash plugin performing its intended functions incorrectly due to vulnerabilities being actively exploited, leading to security risks [38030, 52325].
(e) byzantine: The articles do not describe the software failure incident as having inconsistent responses or interactions.
(f) other: The software failure incident can be categorized as a security vulnerability issue where the Flash plugin failed to ensure secure operation, leading to exploitation by hackers and the need for urgent patches and calls for uninstallation [38030, 52325]. |