fork bomb

fork bomb
 n.

   [Unix] A particular species of {wabbit} that can be written in one
   line of C (main() {for(;;)fork();}) or shell ($0 & $0 &) on any Unix
   system, or occasionally created by an egregious coding bug. A fork
   bomb process `explodes' by recursively spawning copies of itself
   (using the Unix system call fork(2)). Eventually it eats all the
   process table entries and effectively wedges the system. Fortunately,
   fork bombs are relatively easy to spot and kill, so creating one
   deliberately seldom accomplishes more than to bring the just wrath of
   the gods down upon the perpetrator. Also called a fork bunny. See also
   {logic bomb}.
    

fork bomb

   <programming> A particular species of {wabbit} that can be
   written in one line of {C}:

   	main() {for(;;)fork();}

   or {shell}:

   	$0 & $0 &

   on any {Unix} system, or occasionally created by an egregious
   coding bug.  A fork bomb process "explodes" by {recursive}ly
   spawning copies of itself using the {Unix} {system call}
   "{fork}(2)".  Eventually it eats all the process table entries
   and effectively wedges the system.  Fortunately, fork bombs
   are relatively easy to spot and kill, so creating one
   deliberately seldom accomplishes more than to bring the just
   wrath of the {gods} down upon the perpetrator.

   See also {logic bomb}.

   [{Jargon File}]

   (1994-12-14)