A retry is a repeated attempt made after an initial output, request, or action is unsatisfactory, failed, or incomplete. In software and security systems, retries are common when a network call times out, an API returns an error, or a model response fails validation. Retry logic improves reliability, but it also changes system behavior and cost because each extra attempt consumes more compute, bandwidth, and time.
In cyber security, retries matter because attackers can exploit them and defenders must control them. Abuse of retries can support brute-force login attempts, credential stuffing, or repeated API requests that drive up cost and create noise. Defenders use retry limits, backoff, lockouts, and rate limiting to reduce abuse and prevent retry storms. In AI workflows, retries are often used when an output is unsafe, malformed, or fails a policy check, but too many retries can hide prompt issues or create expensive loops. Good security design makes retries deliberate, measurable, and bounded.