What is a Golden Bug? | Golden Bug

What does the term Golden Bug mean?

In the context of beta testing, a "golden bug" is a term used to describe a particularly significant or impactful issue or bug that is discovered during the testing process. Golden bugs are often given high priority and are addressed as quickly as possible, as they have the potential to cause significant problems or disruptions if left unaddressed.

The term "golden bug" is often used in contrast to more minor or less impactful bugs, which may not be as pressing to fix. The term "golden bug" is often used informally, and it is not a formally defined term in the field of software testing. It is used more as a way to highlight the importance of certain issues or bugs that are discovered during the testing process.

An example of a Golden Bug

Imagine that a company is testing a new e-commerce website that allows users to make purchases online. During the beta testing process, a tester discovers that the website is not properly encrypting credit card information when it is entered by users. This is a serious security issue, as it could allow hackers to access sensitive financial information and potentially steal credit card numbers.

In this case, the issue with the unencrypted credit card information would be considered a "golden bug," as it is a serious and potentially impactful issue that needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. The company would likely prioritize fixing this bug over other, less serious issues that might have been discovered during the testing process.

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