Material fatigue refers to the gradual weakening of a material caused by repeated cycles of stress or strain. In cybersecurity, this concept is often applied metaphorically to describe the degradation of physical components in hardware systems, such as servers or network devices, due to constant operational demands. Over time, these repeated stresses can cause microscopic cracks or defects to form and grow, eventually leading to partial or complete failure of the material or device. Understanding material fatigue is crucial for maintaining the reliability and security of critical infrastructure, as unexpected hardware failures can lead to vulnerabilities, data loss, or system downtime.