# ASI08 - Cascading Failures

> A single fault propagates and amplifies across autonomous agent networks.

- **Category**: Owasp Agentic Ai
- **Subcategory**: top10_2026
- **Canonical URL**: https://designpattern.fyi/owasp_agentic_ai/asi08_cascading_failures/

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## Description
'**Intent**: Prevent single-point failures from cascading through interconnected agent systems.

**Context**: In multi-agent networks, a failure or compromise in one agent can propagate through the system, causing widespread disruption as agents make decisions based on faulty upstream data.

**Solution**: Implement circuit breakers between agents. Use bulkhead isolation patterns. Apply timeout limits. Monitor for error propagation. Design for graceful degradation. Implement health checks and automatic recovery.'



## Use Cases
Use when designing multi-agent architectures where agents depend on each other for data or task completion.





## Trade-offs


### Advantages

- Limits failure blast radius

- Enables graceful degradation

- Supports system resilience

- Prevents systemic collapse




### Considerations & Drawbacks

- Circuit breakers add complexity

- May cause partial functionality loss

- Recovery orchestration is complex







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**Reference**: [Original Source](https://genai.owasp.org/resource/owasp-top-10-for-agentic-applications-for-2026)