What is a potential issue with abandoned paths in a system?

Abandoned paths in a system refer to scenarios where certain execution paths (like specific code branches or user journeys) are not utilized or completed, often due to interruptions or decision points that are never resolved. One significant issue related to these abandoned paths is that they can lead to the system locking up or leaving memory allocated. When execution does not reach its expected endpoint, resources such as memory may not be properly freed or released, resulting in memory leaks. This can degrade the performance of the system over time, as more and more memory remains allocated without being used. Additionally, a system lock-up can occur if the abandoned path involves waiting on resources or conditions that never get fulfilled, leaving the system unresponsive.

The other options point to various issues but do not encapsulate the critical implications of abandoned paths in terms of system performance and resource management.