bitflip

English

Etymology

From bit +‎ flip.

Noun

bitflip (plural bitflips)

1. (computing) The switching of a bit's value (from 1 to 0, or vice versa).

   Alternative form: bit flip

   1. (usually) Such a change that occurs for a spurious reason, such as when a cosmic ray strikes the integrated circuit.

      Near-synonym: SEU (“single-event upset”)

      • 2025 December 6, “What is the Airbus ‘Icarus Bug’ and how are airlines fixing it? It involves a rare failure in a flight-control computer that can occur when high-energy radiation from the Sun interferes with onboard electronics”, in The Business Standard‎:

        The problem centers on the way intense solar radiation can affect the data used by software that calculates the plane's elevation, says BECA (Belgian Pilot Association). At high altitudes, cosmic rays—high-energy particles from the Sun and distant space—can penetrate aircraft and strike sensitive parts of computer chips. In some cases, this can cause a bit flip, which is when a stored "0" turns into a "1," or vice versa. In technical terms, this is called a single event upset (SEU). Investigators found that ELAC B units (Elevator & Aileron Computers) running software version L104 were more likely to be affected. If corrupted data is fed into the flight-control system, the aircraft's elevators could move unexpectedly. In a worst-case situation, this could push the aircraft close to or beyond safe structural limits.