Failure and Hazard Analysis (Solutions)

Ethical Issues:

• Potential Solutions-

  • Make sure database is properly secured by keeping the software updated and using industry best practices, hire 3rd party company to test security of database.

  • NodeStitch can make sure not to sell any user information to 3rd party companies. Alternatively if data collection and selling it part of NodeStitch's revenue model the company shall inform the users of that policy and give the option to opt out.

  • Algorithm can be reviewed by an ethics/intellectual property board/committee to make sure that the code is original or the proper licensing payments are made. 

  • NodeStitch should make sure that customer support is available and well-trained to handle common issues that users might have. Customer support shall also have easy access to people in the company that may have a higher understanding about the product. NodeStitch shall also have valuable information online such as on internet forums.

  • NodeStitch shall have a well-defined QA department that is well trained and has a system for reporting faults throughout the process, also have quality tests throughout the process. Implement a system for users to send back broken hardware for repairs or replacements

Product Liability:

• Potential Solutions-

  • NodeStitch shall have capabilities to roll back software updates if it is severely bugged and harms users. Software shall be rigorously tested before deployment. Also shall prioritize critical bugs if brought to attention of the company to improve user experience with the product.

  • Clearly explain to the customer differences between self-healing and self-repairing networks so they know the service they are paying for.

  • Offer customers availability to trained professionals to provide support to their on-site technicians and network administrators.

  • Take steps to secure network data to make it harder to leak, follow security best practices such as Zero Trust Security.

  • NodeStitch shall test product with other common applications that the customers might use. Shall try to implement it in such a way that the applications do not interfere with each other. Alternatively, if the NodeStitch service does not work with other common applications, customers should be made aware of the incompatibility.

Social Impact:

• Potential Solutions-

  • Hire IT audit consultant to make sure that user data is properly secured to industry best practices. 

  • Make sure user data is encrypted. NodeStitch shall be careful of who they decide to sell user data to, alternatively do not sell user data.

  • Make product free and open source so users can see what the code is doing and make improvements if necessary. Additionally, users can provide extra functionality and possibly resolve issues in the code.

  • If entirely new version of NodeStitch algorithm released, company shall still provide regular security updates to legacy system for a time and let users know when legacy version will stop receiving regular updates.