Threats to operating system
Operating system control objectives may not be achieved because of flaws in the operating system that are exploited either accidentally or intentionally. Accidental threats include hardware failures that cause the operating system to crash. Errors in user application programs, which the operating system cannot interpret, also cause operating system failures. Accidental system failures may cause whole segments of memory to be dumped to disks and printers, resulting in the unintentional disclosure of confidential information.