EB FE

JMP SHORT $-2 | The Shortest Infinite Loop
0x00401000: EB FE jmp short 0x00401000

Two Bytes

The most compact x86 infinite loop

EB FE

Infinite Loop

Jumps to itself, never stops

JMP $
11101011 11111110
Opcode (EB) Offset (FE = -2)

Disassembly Breakdown

EB

JMP SHORT

Relative jump instruction
Range: -128 to +127 bytes

FE

Offset: -2

Jump offset (signed)
Returns to instruction start

● ● ●
$ objdump -D -Mintel target.bin
0000000000401000 <loop>:
401000: eb fe             jmp    401000 <loop>
$ _