Exponential backoff is a retry strategy that waits longer after each failed attempt, often doubling the delay between tries. If a service returns an overload, timeout, or temporary network error, the client pauses, tries again, and increases the wait after repeated failures. This reduces pressure on a struggling system and gives it time to recover.
In cyber security and operations, backoff matters because aggressive retries can amplify outages, create self-inflicted denial of service, and hide the original problem. Defenders use it in API clients, agents, and automation so transient failures do not turn into request storms. Attackers may try to exploit poorly designed retry logic by triggering repeated failures, while resilient systems combine backoff with jitter, request IDs, and clear retry limits to avoid synchronized bursts. Used well, exponential backoff is a simple control that improves availability and makes distributed services more stable under stress.