“Clobbering” can refer to overwriting files or overwhelming computers with requests. It can be intentional or accidental, and security measures are in place to prevent it. Hackers may use it to break into systems. It can also refer to outperforming competitors or beating opponents in video games.
The term “clobbering” is used in many different ways in computer science, with the meaning usually clear from the context. In one sense, it refers to overwriting existing files or memory entries. It can also be used to discuss overwhelming computers such as servers with requests, causing performance to drop. This second use of the word reflects the common use of “clobber” as a word to describe being beaten.
Clobbering a file can be done intentionally or accidentally. Many systems have security measures designed to prevent inadvertent locking so that users don’t overwrite files they will need later. People may engage in intentional operations to clean up databases, remove old versions of files and documents, and delete temporary files generated during software downloads, installations, and similar activities. There are a number of programs that can be set to block when users need this functionality, and people may also be able to selectively overwrite files from the command line.
This can also happen by accident. A programmer with slippery fingers can accidentally execute a command to overwrite files or working memory. In some cases the material may be lost beyond recovery. Measures designed to prevent these types of incidents include lockouts that will not allow files to be overwritten while they are open and in use, along with prompts to confirm that a user really wants to execute a certain command.
Clobbering, in the sense of overloading a computer with requests, can take many forms. Hackers and crackers can use this technique to break into a system’s defenses or to disable security by distracting it while they are accessing a system for unauthorized reasons. Clobbering can also be used to test the limits of a system in a security review. Systems can also be said to be “stuffy” when they are overwhelmed with users wanting to log in, as can happen on retail websites when they announce major sales.
This term can also appear in some more familiar contexts in computer science. It is sometimes said that competing computer products outshine each other, which means that one product outperforms the other in sales and performance and achieves market dominance. Similarly, people playing networked video games with users in other regions may refer to beating opponents, successfully beating their characters and either taking them out of the game or seriously injuring them, then they will need to recover before they can enter the game again .
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