In digital electronics, data processing and storage errors occur which are not caused by permanent damage to circuitry. They are a result of random, transient events that originate from energy sources such as (1) extraterrestrial cosmic particles (eg. neutrons) and (2) the decay of radioactive atoms (eg. alpha particles). In the case of the latter, these may originate in the very material used to make the integrated circuit chip. As components become ever smaller, this phenomenon is a very real problem for chip designers and manufacturers.

Although digital circuits in computers are constantly exposed to these particles, their effects do not necessarily translate into operational mistakes at the user level. Thus, they are unlikely candidates for proximate cause except in extreme situations, such as high altitude flight or certain research environments.