| Recurring |
multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the 'Scotland Yard' virus scam does not indicate that a similar incident has happened before within the same organization (Metropolitan Police's e-crime unit) or with its products and services. The article focuses on how the virus pretends to be a message from the Met Police's e-crime unit to extort money from users by accusing them of accessing illegal content and demanding a fine.
(b) The article mentions that 'Ransomware' scams, like the 'Scotland Yard' virus scam, are common and cyber-criminals have used them for years to scare people into paying for services they don't need. This indicates that similar incidents have happened before at other organizations or with their products and services, as cyber-criminals have employed such tactics in the past [10391]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in the article is related to the design phase. The incident involves a computer virus that pretends to be a threatening message from Scotland Yard, accusing users of accessing child pornography and demanding a fine to unlock their computers. This virus spreads by infecting computers that have accessed certain websites without the need for users to click or download any files, indicating a flaw in the design that allows for such malicious software to infiltrate systems [10391].
(b) The software failure incident in the article is also related to the operation phase. Users' computers are frozen by the virus, and they are presented with a warning message accusing them of engaging in illegal activities. This impacts the operation of the computers and the users' ability to use them effectively. Additionally, the scam relies on users feeling pressured to pay a fine to unlock their computers, which can be seen as a manipulation of the operation of the system by exploiting fear and urgency [10391]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident described in the article is within the system. The incident involves a computer virus that infects victims' computers, freezes them, and displays a threatening message pretending to be from Scotland Yard. The virus accuses users of accessing child pornography and demands a fine to unlock the computer. This malicious software operates within the victim's computer system, manipulating the user interface and displaying false information to extort money [10391].
(b) outside_system: The contributing factors that originate from outside the system in this software failure incident include the method of infection. The virus spreads through "drive-by downloads," where users' computers get infected by simply accessing corrupted web pages without the need to click or download any files. This method allows the software to enter the system externally without user interaction, highlighting an external factor contributing to the failure [10391]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is due to non-human actions. The incident involves a computer virus that spreads and infects computers without requiring users to click or download any files. This type of attack is known as a 'drive-by download' where the software simply downloads itself once a machine accesses a corrupted web page [10391]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident reported in the article is not directly related to hardware issues. The incident involves a computer virus that spreads through the internet and infects computers without the need for users to interact with any hardware components. The virus freezes victims' computers and displays a fake message accusing them of illegal activities, demanding payment to unlock the computer. This type of attack is categorized as a 'drive-by download' where the software is automatically downloaded when a user visits a corrupted web page, indicating a software-based attack rather than a hardware-related failure [10391]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in Article 10391 is malicious in nature. The incident involves a computer virus that pretends to be a threatening message from Scotland Yard, accusing users of accessing child pornography and demanding a fine to unlock their computer. This malicious software aims to extort money from unsuspecting internet users by falsely claiming to be from the Metropolitan Police's e-crime unit and threatening legal action if the fine is not paid. The virus freezes victims' computers and displays alarming messages to coerce users into paying the demanded amount. This type of attack is categorized as 'ransomware' and is a common tactic used by cyber-criminals to scare individuals into paying for services they do not actually require. The intent behind this software failure incident is clearly malicious, with the objective of financial gain through deception and coercion [10391]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The intent of the software failure incident in this case is related to poor_decisions. The software failure incident involves a computer virus that pretends to be a threatening message from Scotland Yard, accusing users of accessing child pornography and demanding a fine to unlock their computer. This malicious software is designed to extort money from unsuspecting internet users by falsely claiming to be from the Metropolitan Police's e-crime unit [10391]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article is not related to development incompetence. It is a case of a computer virus spreading as a scam, pretending to be a threatening message from Scotland Yard to extort money from users by accusing them of accessing illegal content and demanding a fine to unlock their computers. This incident is more about cyber-criminals using deceptive tactics rather than a failure due to lack of professional competence in software development [10391].
(b) The software failure incident described in the article is more aligned with an accidental failure. Users' computers are infected with the virus without them having to click or download any files intentionally. The malware spreads through 'drive-by downloads' when users access corrupted web pages, indicating an accidental introduction of the malicious software onto the computers. It is not a result of intentional actions by the users but rather a deceptive tactic used by cyber-criminals [10391]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident described in the article is temporary. The incident involves a computer virus that freezes victims' computers and displays a threatening message accusing them of accessing illegal content and demanding a fine to unlock the computer. This temporary failure is caused by the malicious software infecting the computers of unsuspecting users who have accessed certain websites, triggering the ransomware scam [Article 10391]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the article can be categorized as a crash. The virus described in the article freezes victims' computers, rendering them unable to perform their intended functions, which is a characteristic of a crash [10391].
(b) omission: The software failure incident does not exhibit the behavior of omission as the system is not failing to perform its intended functions at an instance(s) but rather actively engaging in malicious activities by displaying threatening messages and locking the computer [10391].
(c) timing: The software failure incident is not related to timing issues where the system performs its intended functions but at the wrong time. Instead, the incident involves the system freezing and displaying false accusations to extort money from users [10391].
(d) value: The software failure incident can be associated with the behavior of performing its intended functions incorrectly. The virus falsely accuses users of accessing illegal content and demands payment to unlock the computer, which is an incorrect and malicious behavior [10391].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not align with the behavior of a byzantine failure, which involves inconsistent responses and interactions. In this case, the virus consistently displays threatening messages to deceive users into paying a fine [10391].
(f) other: The software failure incident in the article can be further described as a form of ransomware attack, where the system locks the computer and displays a fake message demanding payment to unlock it. This behavior falls under the category of malicious software that extorts money from users by deception [10391]. |