  Cascading failure is a potentially devastating process that spreads on
real-world complex networks and can impact the integrity of wide-ranging
infrastructures, natural systems, and societal cohesiveness. One of the
essential features that create complex network vulnerability to failure
propagation is the dependency among their components, exposing entire systems
to significant risks from destabilizing hazards such as human attacks, natural
disasters or internal breakdowns. Developing realistic models for cascading
failures as well as strategies to halt and mitigate the failure propagation can
point to new approaches to restoring and strengthening real-world networks. In
this review, we summarize recent progress on models developed based on physics
and complex network science to understand the mechanisms, dynamics and overall
impact of cascading failures. We present models for cascading failures in
single networks and interdependent networks and explain how different dynamic
propagation mechanisms can lead to an abrupt collapse and a rich dynamic
behavior. Finally, we close the review with novel emerging strategies for
containing cascades of failures and discuss open questions that remain to be
addressed.
