Resource exhaustion
(also resource starvation)
Resource exhaustion definition
Resource exhaustion happens when a system or system user uses up all the available resources that the system has, leading it to be completely drained. Some of the resources that can lead to resource exhaustion include bandwidth, memory, CPU time, connection pools, and other similar resources. Resource exhaustion usually happens because the system fails to restrict the number of resources that a certain user can use at a specific time. Systems are also vulnerable to resource exhaustion attacks. These are denial of service (DoS) attacks that use all the resources that a device has available. These attacks can cause the device to stop working completely. It will be unable to continue providing the services it is meant to provide.
See also: cyberattack, CPU utilization
Resource exhaustion prevention
Limiting resources. One of the most effective and common ways to prevent resource exhaustion is by setting a limit on how many resources a system or system users can use in a given period of time. That way ensures that the system always has leftover resources to function properly and avoid resource exhaustion.
Protection against resource exhaustion attacks. Resource exhaustion attacks are the most common causes of resource exhaustion. So, it’s essential to protect systems and devices from such attacks. This can be done by limiting the number of resources that an unauthorized user can use on a system, putting strong authentication protocols in place, and using other DoS prevention methods as well.