Liveness Failure

Definition ∞ Liveness failure in a blockchain system occurs when the network ceases to process new transactions or produce new blocks, effectively halting its operation. This can result from critical consensus mechanism issues, severe network partitions, or coordinated attacks that prevent validators from reaching agreement. It represents a critical disruption to network functionality.
Context ∞ News reports about liveness failures are rare but significant, indicating a severe operational problem within a blockchain network. Such events underscore the importance of robust protocol design, decentralization, and effective governance mechanisms to ensure continuous network operation. Preventing liveness failures is a primary objective for blockchain developers and security researchers, directly impacting the reliability and trustworthiness of digital asset systems.