Over time, these compromises can increase the complexity and costs of modifying, upgrading, and maintaining both software and infrastructure, as initial shortcomings need to be addressed later. In the context of infrastructure, this can include issues like inadequate scaling of network devices, servers, or cloud services, or underestimating security measures, potentially leading to problems with system reliability or security in the future. Thus, technical debt can be seen as a "loan" that must be repaid with additional work and resources to ensure the long-term stability and scalability of the entire system, including both software and infrastructure.