A programming mistake can have catastrophic consequences, as eight high-profile examples demonstrate. These errors highlight the importance of rigorous testing and attention to detail in software development.
In 2014, the Heartbleed Bug exposed millions of websites and devices to data theft, causing an estimated $500 million in losses. The bug was a simple buffer over-read in the OpenSSL cryptographic software library.
The Ariane 5 Flight 501 failure in 1996 was caused by a software exception triggered by a conversion error, leading to the rocket veering off course and self-destructing. This incident resulted in a $370 million loss and significant reputational damage for the European Space Agency.
A radiation therapy machine’s software flaw led to at least six accidents, resulting in three fatalities. The bug stemmed from a race condition that allowed patients to bypass safety locks.
NASA’s Mars Climate Orbiter crashed on the Martian surface due to a unit conversion error between English and metric units, causing a $327 million loss and delaying climate studies.
Knight Capital Group lost $440 million in just 45 minutes after an algorithmic update caused its trading platform to malfunction. This incident highlights the importance of thorough testing before deployment.
Intel’s Pentium processor suffered from an error in its division lookup table, resulting in inaccurate calculations and a $475 million charge for recall and replacement.
The Mars Polar Lander Incident resulted in the loss of the $125 million spacecraft due to a software flaw in its landing sequence. Thorough beta testing could have prevented this catastrophe.
These examples demonstrate that even small details can have significant consequences. As our lives become increasingly dependent on computer programs, it is essential for developers to prioritize attention to detail and rigorous testing to prevent such disasters.
Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/costly-programming-or-software-issues-that-led-to-million-dollar-losses