Crash Faults

Definition ∞ Crash faults represent a class of error in distributed systems where a participant or node unexpectedly ceases operation. Unlike Byzantine faults, which involve malicious conduct, crash faults assume nodes are honest but may fail due to software defects, hardware malfunctions, or network interruptions. Consensus algorithms must be engineered to maintain system functionality even when a specified number of nodes experience these failures. The system’s resilience to such outages measures its robustness.
Context ∞ The capacity of a blockchain network to tolerate crash faults is a fundamental aspect of its dependability and is often addressed in technical analyses of protocol stability. News articles may cite crash faults when reporting on network disruptions or upgrades designed to bolster system resilience. Ongoing research focuses on developing more robust and fault-tolerant distributed ledger technologies.