Single Point of Failure
A component whose failure can stop an entire critical system or workflow.
Plain English
One thing can bring down everything.
In context
A single point of failure lacks sufficient redundancy or an alternate path for the required capability.
Example
“This credential store is a single point of failure.”
When you'll hear this
- architecture review
- risk assessment
- incident review
Common misunderstanding
Criticality depends on the workflow and recovery design rather than component count alone.
Also known as
SPOF
Commonly used by
Related terms
Updated: 2026-08-25
