| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Brightest Flashlight Free app sharing users' locations and device IDs with advertisers is an example of a failure happening within the same organization, GoldenShores Technologies. The incident involved the deceptive collection and sharing of user data without proper disclosure, leading to a settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) [Article 55579].
(b) The article also mentions that other apps on the Android market are suspected of engaging in similar practices, indicating that similar incidents may have occurred at other organizations or with their products and services. The concern raised by analysts and security experts about the potential for other free Android apps to engage in similar deceptive practices highlights a broader issue within the industry [Article 55579]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the case of the Brightest Flashlight Free app for Android. The app's privacy policy was deceptive as it failed to disclose that it was sharing users' location and device ID data with advertisers. This failure was due to the misleading design of the privacy policy, which did not clearly inform users about the data sharing practices of the app [Article 55579].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can be observed in how the Brightest Flashlight Free app collected and sent information to third parties, including location and unique device identifiers, even before users had a chance to accept the terms of the license agreement. This failure was a result of the app's operation, where it was actively collecting and sharing user data without explicit consent or knowledge of the users [Article 55579]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident in Article 55579 is primarily attributed to factors originating from within the system. The Brightest Flashlight Free app for Android silently shared users' locations and device IDs with advertisers without adequately disclosing this behavior in its privacy policy. The app collected and sent information to third parties, including location and unique device identifiers, without users' explicit consent. This deceptive practice was a direct result of how the app was designed and operated internally, leading to a breach of user privacy and trust [55579]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in Article 55579 occurred due to non-human actions. The Brightest Flashlight Free app silently shared users' locations and device IDs with advertisers without the users' explicit knowledge or consent. This behavior was embedded in the app's code and design, leading to the unauthorized sharing of sensitive information [55579].
(b) The software failure incident in Article 55579 also involved human actions. The developer of the app, GoldenShores Technologies, admitted that the app's privacy policy was deceptive and failed to disclose the sharing of location and device ID data with advertisers. This deliberate omission by the developer contributed to the privacy violation experienced by the app users [55579]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The incident involving the Brightest Flashlight Free app for Android did not directly involve hardware failure but rather a privacy breach where user data, including location and device IDs, were shared with advertisers without proper disclosure [Article 55579].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The software failure incident in this case was primarily due to the app's deceptive privacy policy and functionality that collected and shared user data with advertisers without clear disclosure to users. This failure originated in the software design and implementation of the Brightest Flashlight Free app [Article 55579]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious, non-malicious |
(a) malicious: The software failure incident in Article 55579 involved a malicious aspect where the Brightest Flashlight Free app for Android silently shared users' locations and device IDs with advertisers without disclosing this information to users. This action was deemed deceptive by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the app was collecting and sending information to third parties, including location and unique device identifiers, without users' knowledge or consent [55579].
(b) non-malicious: The software failure incident in Article 55579 also had a non-malicious aspect related to false choice and lack of transparency. The app gave users a false choice to 'Accept' or 'Refuse' the terms of the agreement, but it was already collecting and sending information to third parties before users could make an informed decision. This lack of transparency and misleading behavior on the part of the app developer contributed to the failure incident [55579]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident:
The software failure incident related to the Brightest Flashlight Free app for Android was primarily due to poor decisions made by the developer, GoldenShores Technologies. The company deceptively failed to disclose in its privacy policy that it was sharing users' location and device ID data with advertisers, leading to a violation of user privacy and trust [55579].
(b) The intent of the software failure incident:
In addition to poor decisions, the incident also involved accidental decisions or mistakes. The app gave users a false choice by presenting them with the option to 'Accept' or 'Refuse' the terms of the agreement, but it was already collecting and sending information to third parties before users could make an informed decision. This accidental decision misled users and allowed the app to collect and share sensitive data without explicit consent [55579]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the case of the Brightest Flashlight Free app for Android. The app, developed by GoldenShores Technologies, failed to disclose to users that it was sharing location and device ID data with advertisers, violating users' privacy. The app's privacy policy was deceptive and did not inform users about the data sharing practices, leading to a lack of transparency and user consent [55579].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is highlighted by the deceptive practices of the Brightest Flashlight Free app. The app collected and shared users' location and device ID data with advertisers without users' explicit consent or knowledge. This accidental sharing of sensitive information was not clearly communicated to users, leading to a breach of privacy and trust [55579]. |
| Duration |
permanent, temporary |
(a) The software failure incident in the article is more of a permanent nature. The Brightest Flashlight Free app for Android was designed to silently share users' locations and device IDs with advertisers without their explicit consent or knowledge. This deceptive practice was ongoing since the app's release in February 2011 until it was brought to light and addressed through a settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission [Article 55579].
(b) The software failure incident could also be considered temporary in the sense that once the issue was exposed and brought to the attention of the authorities, steps were taken to address it. Under the settlement with the FTC, the developer of the app was required to make changes to the app's privacy policy, inform users about data sharing practices, and obtain explicit permission before sharing data in the future. This indicates a temporary phase of failure that was rectified through regulatory intervention [Article 55579]. |
| Behaviour |
omission, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident described in the article does not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. The Brightest Flashlight Free app continued to function and collect data from users despite not fully disclosing this behavior to users [Article 55579].
(b) omission: The software failure incident can be categorized under omission, as the app omitted to disclose to users that it was sharing location and device ID data with advertisers. The privacy policy of the app did not fully disclose this behavior, leading to users being unaware of the data collection and sharing practices [Article 55579].
(c) timing: The software failure incident is not related to timing issues where the system performs its intended functions but does so too late or too early. The issue in this case lies in the lack of transparency and disclosure regarding data collection and sharing practices rather than timing-related failures [Article 55579].
(d) value: The software failure incident does not involve a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The app functioned as intended in terms of collecting and sharing data with advertisers, but the failure was in not properly informing users about this behavior [Article 55579].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit a byzantine behavior where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The issue primarily revolves around the lack of transparency and disclosure regarding data sharing practices rather than erratic or inconsistent behavior of the app [Article 55579].
(f) other: The software failure incident can be categorized as a failure related to deceptive behavior. The app's privacy policy was deceptive in failing to disclose the sharing of location and device ID data with advertisers, leading to users being unaware of this practice. This deceptive behavior is at the core of the failure incident [Article 55579]. |