Common Cause Failure
A concept in safety and reliability engineering referring to the simultaneous failure of multiple nominally independent systems or components due to a shared underlying defect, such as a common hardware component, software dependency, or configuration pattern. It is a key concern in the design of fault-tolerant systems.
Timeline (last 90 days)
Common cause failure refers to multiple seemingly independent redundant components failing simultaneously or in succession due to the same root cause.
Typical common causes in power systems include: the same utility feed line supplying both primary and backup equipment, multiple UPS units sharing the same distribution cabinet or the same battery bank, and backup generators and primary power sources located in the same physical space.
In engineering, the probability of common cause failure is typically reduced through physical isolation (different buildings, different incoming substations), diversified technology paths (such as using UPS and diesel generators together), and regular switchover drills.
The phenomenon in which multiple independent security incidents are caused by the same root cause is referred to in security research as Common Cause Failure.
All Facts (4)
Common cause failure refers to multiple seemingly independent redundant components failing simultaneously or in succession due to the same root cause.
50%UnverifiedTypical common causes in power systems include: the same utility feed line supplying both primary and backup equipment, multiple UPS units sharing the same distribution cabinet or the same battery bank, and backup generators and primary power sources located in the same physical space.
50%UnverifiedIn engineering, the probability of common cause failure is typically reduced through physical isolation (different buildings, different incoming substations), diversified technology paths (such as using UPS and diesel generators together), and regular switchover drills.
50%UnverifiedThe phenomenon in which multiple independent security incidents are caused by the same root cause is referred to in security research as Common Cause Failure.
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