| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to Path's security breach involving the unauthorized siphoning of users' address book data was specific to Path, as there is no mention of a similar incident happening before within the same organization [10134].
(b) The software failure incident involving the unauthorized data collection by Path's app does not indicate a similar incident happening at other organizations or with their products and services [10134]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design |
(a) The software failure incident in Article 10134 can be attributed to a design flaw. The incident occurred because the Path iOS app was designed to automatically upload users' entire address books to Path's servers without clear user consent. This design decision was not explicitly mentioned in the app's Terms of Use and was only opt-in for the Android version, not the iOS version. This design flaw led to a security breach where users' personal information was being sent to Path's servers without their explicit permission [10134].
(b) The software failure incident in Article 10134 does not directly point to a failure due to operation or misuse of the system. The incident primarily revolves around a design flaw in the app's functionality rather than issues arising from the operation or misuse of the system. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident in this case was within the system. The failure occurred due to the app sending the user's entire address book to Path's servers without clear user consent or opt-in, which was not explicitly mentioned in the app's Terms of Use. This behavior was discovered by a software developer attempting to hack the app, indicating an internal issue within the software itself [10134]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was primarily due to non-human actions. The breach was discovered by a software developer attempting to hack the MacOS version of the Path iOS app. The app was found to be making API calls to Path's servers and sending the user's entire address book to the servers without explicit consent [10134]. This indicates that the failure was a result of the app's behavior and design rather than direct human actions.
(b) Human actions were also involved in this incident as the software developer, Arun Thampi, discovered the security breach while attempting to hack the app. Additionally, the CEO of Path, Dave Morin, responded directly to Thampi's findings and explained the purpose of uploading the address book to the servers. Morin also mentioned that an opt-in feature would be added to the iOS version of the app to address the issue [10134]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident in the provided article [10134] occurred due to a security breach discovered by a software developer in Singapore. The breach was related to the Path iOS app sending the user's entire address book to Path's servers without proper disclosure or consent. This issue was not related to hardware but rather to a software vulnerability in the app's design and functionality. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was non-malicious. The incident involved a security breach where the Path iOS app was found to be sending users' entire address books to Path's servers without explicit consent. This was discovered by a software developer who was attempting to hack the app and found this behavior, prompting the company to address the issue by implementing an opt-in feature [10134]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident was related to poor_decisions. The incident involved the Path social media service sending users' entire address books to their servers without clear consent or opt-in, which was not explicitly mentioned in the app's Terms of Use. This action was explained by the CEO as a way to help users find and connect with friends and family quickly, but it raised concerns about privacy and data security [10134]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident in Article 10134 can be attributed to development incompetence. The incident involved a security breach in the Path social media service where the app was found to be sending users' entire address books to Path's servers without proper disclosure or user consent. This action was not noted in the app's Terms of Use, and the opt-in feature was missing in the iOS version of the app, leading to a privacy violation. The CEO of Path, Dave Morin, acknowledged the issue and mentioned that an opt-in feature would be added in the iOS update to address the concerns raised by the software developer who discovered the breach.
(b) The software failure incident in Article 10134 does not seem to be accidental but rather a result of a deliberate design choice by the development team at Path. The decision to upload users' address books to the servers was explained by the CEO as a feature intended to help users find and connect with their friends and family quickly. The lack of clear communication and opt-in mechanism in the iOS version of the app indicates a conscious decision rather than an accidental oversight. |
| Duration |
permanent |
(a) The software failure incident in this case seems to be more of a permanent nature. The incident involved a security breach where the Path iOS app was discovered to be sending users' entire address books to Path's servers without clear user consent. This behavior was not explicitly mentioned in the app's Terms of Use, indicating a fundamental flaw in the software's design and functionality. The CEO of Path acknowledged the issue and mentioned implementing an opt-in feature in an upcoming iOS update to address the problem, suggesting a need for a permanent fix to the underlying issue [10134]. |
| Behaviour |
value |
(a) The software failure incident described in Article 10134 can be categorized as a value failure. The incident involved the Path iOS app sending users' entire address books to Path's servers without explicit consent or disclosure in the app's Terms of Use. This behavior was considered incorrect and a violation of user privacy, leading to concerns and criticism from users and the software developer who discovered the issue [10134]. |