Buffer Overflow: Because Who Needs to Be Secure, Anyway?

What is Buffer Overflow?

A buffer overflow is a type of security vulnerability that occurs when a program or system writes more data to a buffer than it was designed to hold, overwriting adjacent memory locations.

This can lead to all sorts of problems, including crashes, data corruption, and (in extreme cases) the ability to inject shellcode into a running system.

But let's be real, who hasn't written a little too much to a buffer every now and then?

Heap Buffery: The Sequel to this story.

Types of Buffer Overflows

Stack Overflow

When a program writes more data to the stack than it can handle, it's like trying to cram too many snacks into a too-small snack-sized container.

Result: Crashes, and possibly the occasional Heap Attack.

Buffer Overflow in the Wild

Real-world examples of buffer overflow include:

• OpenSSH Overflow (2001)
• Gmail Overflow (2002)
• And many more, no doubt.