| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident has happened again at one_organization:
The incident at Barracuda Networks where a security breach occurred due to an SQL injection weakness in a PHP database script serves as a reminder for the company about the importance of maintaining strong security measures and avoiding vulnerabilities in their code [5446].
(b) unknown |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident at Barracuda Networks was primarily due to contributing factors introduced during the development phase. The breach occurred as a result of an SQL injection weakness in a PHP database script, which allowed the attacker to exploit security holes in the database and retrieve sensitive information [5446].
(b) Additionally, the incident also involved contributing factors related to the operation of the system. Barracuda's firewall was accidentally put into a passive monitoring mode and had been offline during maintenance, leaving the website exposed and vulnerable to attacks. This operational oversight provided the attacker with an open door to search for security holes and ultimately led to the breach [5446]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident at Barracuda Networks was primarily due to contributing factors that originated from within the system. Specifically, the incident was caused by an SQL injection weakness in a PHP database script, which allowed the attacker to exploit security holes in the database and retrieve sensitive information [5446]. Additionally, Barracuda's firewall was accidentally put into a passive monitoring mode and had essentially been offline during maintenance, providing an open door for the attacker to search for security vulnerabilities within the system [5446].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident at Barracuda Networks was also influenced by contributing factors that originated from outside the system. An unknown hacker launched an attack on the system, exploiting the vulnerabilities within the system to gain unauthorized access to databases and expose sensitive information [5446]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case occurred due to non-human actions. Specifically, the breach was caused by an unknown hacker who exploited an SQL injection weakness in a PHP database script to retrieve information from Barracuda Networks' databases [5446]. The incident was not a result of human actions introducing contributing factors. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident at Barracuda Networks was not directly attributed to hardware issues. The incident was primarily caused by a security breach orchestrated by an unknown hacker who exploited an SQL injection weakness in a PHP database script [5446].
(b) The software failure incident at Barracuda Networks was primarily due to contributing factors originating in software. The attacker utilized an SQL injection script to exploit security holes in the database, leading to the exposure of sensitive information from Barracuda's databases [5446]. Additionally, the incident highlighted the importance of coding practices and the vulnerabilities that can exist in software, even with security measures like firewalls in place. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident at Barracuda Networks was malicious in nature. An unknown hacker launched an attack using an SQL injection script to exploit security holes in the database, exposing sensitive information such as names, phone numbers, email addresses of partners, and even the email addresses and encrypted passwords of Barracuda employees. The attacker took credit for the breach, indicating malicious intent to harm the system and steal data [5446]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
accidental_decisions |
From the provided article [5446], the software failure incident at Barracuda Networks was primarily due to accidental_decisions. The incident was attributed to an accidental mistake where Barracuda's firewall was accidentally put into a passive monitoring mode and had essentially been offline during maintenance since Friday night. This accidental decision left an open door for the attacker to exploit security holes in the system, ultimately leading to the breach. Additionally, the vulnerability in the code, specifically an SQL injection weakness in a PHP database script, was another contributing factor introduced by unintended decisions or oversights rather than deliberate poor decisions. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident at Barracuda Networks was partially attributed to development incompetence. Barracuda's Executive Vice President, Michael Perone, acknowledged that the breach occurred because their firewall was accidentally put into a passive monitoring mode and had essentially been offline during maintenance since Friday night, giving the attacker an opportunity to exploit security holes [5446].
(b) The incident at Barracuda Networks can also be categorized as an accidental failure. Perone explained that the firewall being offline was accidental, which allowed the attacker to find an SQL injection weakness in a PHP database script, leading to the exposure of data [5446]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident reported in Article 5446 was temporary. The incident occurred over the weekend when Barracuda Networks was hit by a security breach due to a series of events that led to the breach, including the accidental offline status of their firewall during maintenance since Friday night. This temporary failure allowed the attacker to exploit an SQL injection weakness in a PHP database script, leading to the exposure of certain information from Barracuda's databases [5446]. |
| Behaviour |
other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident did not involve a crash where the system lost state and did not perform any of its intended functions. The incident was related to a security breach through an SQL injection attack, leading to exposure of certain information from Barracuda Networks' databases [5446].
(b) omission: The software failure incident did not involve omission where the system omitted to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). Instead, the breach occurred due to a security vulnerability in the system that allowed unauthorized access to sensitive data [5446].
(c) timing: The software failure incident was not related to timing issues where the system performed its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The incident was primarily caused by a security flaw that allowed the attacker to exploit the system and retrieve data [5446].
(d) value: The software failure incident did not involve a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The breach resulted in the exposure of names, phone numbers, email addresses, and encrypted passwords, but no financial information was compromised [5446].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident did not exhibit a byzantine behavior where the system behaved erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The attack was a deliberate and targeted breach by an unknown hacker who exploited an SQL injection vulnerability in the system [5446].
(f) other: The software failure incident involved a security breach caused by an SQL injection attack that exposed sensitive information from Barracuda Networks' databases. The incident highlighted the importance of maintaining strong security measures and being vigilant against potential vulnerabilities in the system [5446]. |