The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):

fork bomb
 n.

    [Unix] A particular species of wabbit that can be written in one line of
    C (main() for(;;)fork();) or shell ($0 & $0 &) on any Unix system, or
    occasionally created by an egregious coding bug. A fork bomb process
    ?explodes? by recursively spawning copies of itself (using the Unix system
    call fork(2)). Eventually it eats all the process table entries and
    effectively wedges the system. Fortunately, fork bombs are relatively easy
    to spot and kill, so creating one deliberately seldom accomplishes more
    than to bring the just wrath of the gods down upon the perpetrator. Also
    called a fork bunny. See also logic bomb.


The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):

fork bomb

    A particular species of wabbit that can be
   written in one line of C:

   	main() for(;;)fork();

   or shell:

   	$0 & $0 &

   on any Unix system, or occasionally created by an egregious
   coding bug.  A fork bomb process "explodes" by recursively
   spawning copies of itself using the Unix system call
   "fork(2)".  Eventually it eats all the process table entries
   and effectively wedges the system.  Fortunately, fork bombs
   are relatively easy to spot and kill, so creating one
   deliberately seldom accomplishes more than to bring the just
   wrath of the gods down upon the perpetrator.

   See also logic bomb.

   [Jargon File]

   (1994-12-14)