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Systemic Flaw

Definition

A systemic flaw is a fundamental defect within an entire system or its core design that poses a widespread risk. In the context of digital assets, this could be a vulnerability affecting an entire blockchain protocol, a widely used smart contract standard, or a foundational cryptographic primitive. Such a flaw differs from an isolated bug by threatening the security or functionality of numerous dependent applications or the entire network itself. Rectifying a systemic flaw often requires coordinated efforts across the ecosystem, potentially involving hard forks or extensive protocol upgrades.