| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to data vulnerability affecting Hello Kitty fans' accounts occurred at Sanrio Digital, which is part-owned by Sanrio Co Ltd, the Japanese owner of the Hello Kitty brand. This incident is similar to a previous breach that happened at another Hong Kong company, electronic toymaker VTech Holdings Ltd, where millions of records of parents and children were compromised [57308].
(b) The article mentions that the breach at Sanrio Digital follows a previous breach at VTech Holdings Ltd, indicating that similar incidents have occurred at different organizations. Additionally, the article highlights that security researcher Chris Vickery has found thousands of similar vulnerabilities by searching an online database of connected devices, suggesting that such incidents are not isolated to a single organization [57308]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to design can be attributed to a simple misconfiguration of a database, leaving it open to public access without a password or authentication. This vulnerability was discovered by security researcher Chris Vickery, who found the holes in three servers hosting the data of Hello Kitty fans [57308].
(b) The software failure incident related to operation can be seen in the fact that the database containing personal information of Hello Kitty fans was exposed for nearly a month, allowing anyone who knew its internet address to access it. This indicates a failure in the operation or maintenance of the system, as the vulnerability persisted for an extended period before being fixed [57308]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Hello Kitty fans' accounts being left vulnerable to theft by hackers was primarily within the system. The vulnerability was due to a simple misconfiguration of a database, leaving it open to public access without a password or authentication [57308]. This indicates that the contributing factors that led to the failure originated from within the system itself. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the article was primarily due to non-human actions. The vulnerability that exposed the personal information of Hello Kitty fans was caused by a simple misconfiguration of a database, leaving it open to public access without a password or authentication. Security researcher Chris Vickery discovered the vulnerability and notified the company, which then fixed the issue. The database had been exposed for nearly a month, allowing potential access to anyone who knew its internet address [57308].
(b) However, human actions also played a role in this incident. The company mentioned that they technically didn't allow minors to sign up, but this policy was implemented through an honor system, meaning that those younger than 13 could register by lying about their age. This human factor contributed to the vulnerability as minors could potentially access the platform by providing false information [57308]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The incident involving the Hello Kitty fans' accounts being left vulnerable to theft by hackers was primarily due to a simple misconfiguration of a database, leaving it open to public access without a password or authentication [57308].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The vulnerability in the Hello Kitty site was a result of a simple misconfiguration of a database, indicating a software-related issue in the system's setup [57308]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was malicious. Hackers were able to exploit a vulnerability in the Sanrio Digital-hosted site, leaving over three million Hello Kitty fans' accounts vulnerable to theft. The security researcher, Chris Vickery, discovered the vulnerability and highlighted that personal information of users was accessible due to a simple misconfiguration of the database, allowing unauthorized access without the need for a password or authentication. The incident involved potential theft of personal information, indicating malicious intent to exploit the system [57308].
(b) The incident does not involve non-malicious factors as the vulnerability was a result of a deliberate misconfiguration of the database, making it easy for bad actors to access the data. There is no indication of accidental or unintentional factors contributing to the software failure incident reported in the articles [57308]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Hello Kitty fans' accounts being left vulnerable to theft by hackers was primarily due to poor decisions. The incident occurred because of a simple misconfiguration of a database, leaving it open to public access without a password or authentication. This misconfiguration was a result of poor decision-making in managing the security of the database, making it extremely easy for hackers to access the data [57308]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as it mentions that the vulnerability in the Hello Kitty website was due to a simple misconfiguration of a database, leaving it open to public access without a password or authentication. This misconfiguration was a result of a lack of professional competence in securing the database properly [57308].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is also present in the article. The exposure of the database containing personal information of Hello Kitty fans was accidental, as it was not intended by the company hosting the data. The vulnerability was discovered by a security researcher, Chris Vickery, who stumbled upon the exposed database, indicating an accidental discovery of the issue [57308]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident in the article was temporary. The vulnerability in the Sanrio Digital-hosted site, exposing the personal information of Hello Kitty fans, was fixed after being notified by security researcher Chris Vickery. The spokesman mentioned that the database had been exposed for nearly a month, but the company had plugged the holes found by Vickery in three servers. Additionally, the spokesman stated that passwords were securely encrypted, and there was no indication that any personal information was stolen [57308]. |
| Behaviour |
omission, value, other |
(a) crash: The incident described in the article does not involve a crash where the system loses state and stops performing its intended functions. The vulnerability in the Hello Kitty website allowed unauthorized access to user data, but the system did not crash or stop functioning completely [57308].
(b) omission: The software failure incident can be categorized under omission as the system omitted to perform its intended function of securing user data. The vulnerability in the system allowed unauthorized access to personal information of Hello Kitty fans, indicating a failure in protecting user data [57308].
(c) timing: The timing of the software failure incident is not related to the system performing its intended functions too late or too early. Instead, the vulnerability in the system allowed unauthorized access to user data for nearly a month, indicating a continuous exposure rather than a timing issue [57308].
(d) value: The software failure incident can be categorized under the value as the system failed to perform its intended functions correctly. The vulnerability in the system led to the exposure of personal information of 3.3 million accounts, including names, ages, and gender of users, indicating a failure in protecting sensitive data [57308].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit a byzantine behavior where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The vulnerability in the Hello Kitty website allowed straightforward unauthorized access to the database without the need for complex interactions or inconsistent responses [57308].
(f) other: The software failure incident can be categorized under the "other" behavior as it involved a simple misconfiguration of a database, leaving it open to public access without a password or authentication. This type of failure is related to a lack of proper security measures rather than a specific behavior like crash, omission, timing, or byzantine behavior [57308]. |