The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):
Chernobyl packet
/cher?noh'b@l pak'@t/, n.
A network packet that induces a broadcast storm and/or network meltdown
, in memory of the April 1986 nuclear accident at Chernobyl in Ukraine.
The typical scenario involves an IP Ethernet datagram that passes through a
gateway with both source and destination Ether and IP address set as the
respective broadcast addresses for the subnetworks being gated between.
Compare Christmas tree packet.
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):
Chernobyl packet
/cher-noh'b*l pak'*t/ A network packet that
induces a broadcast storm and/or network meltdown, named
in memory of the April 1986 nuclear accident at Chernobyl in
Ukraine.
The typical scenario involves an IP Ethernet datagram
that passes through a gateway with both source and
destination Ethernet address and IP address set as the
respective broadcast addresses for the subnetworks being gated
between.
Compare Christmas tree packet.
[Jargon File]
(2004-02-17)