From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008) [foldoc]:
firehose syndrome
<networking, jargon> An absence, failure or inadequacy of flow
control mechanisms causing the sender to overwhelm the
receiver. The implication is that, like trying to drink from
a firehose, the consequenses are worse than just loss of data,
e.g. the receiver may crash.
See ping-flood.
[Jargon File]
(2007-03-12)
From Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) [jargon]:
firehose syndrome
n.
In mainstream folklore it is observed that trying to drink from a
firehose can be a good way to rip your lips off. On computer networks,
the absence or failure of flow control mechanisms can lead to
situations in which the sending system sprays a massive flood of
packets at an unfortunate receiving system, more than it can handle.
Compare overrun, buffer overflow.