Malicious code that rapidly replicates itself to exhaust system resources and crash the target.
A fork bomb is a denial of service attack where malicious code continuously replicates itself, consuming system resources until the target crashes or becomes unresponsive. On Unix-like systems, it exploits the 'fork' system call to create processes exponentially. Fork bombs don't require special privileges—a simple script can bring down a system. While basic, fork bombs demonstrate the importance of resource limits and process controls on shared systems.
Why It Matters
The DSC Perspective:
Fork bombs are a reminder that simple attacks can be effective. Proper resource limits, user restrictions, and monitoring can prevent or limit fork bomb impact on servers and shared systems.