What are buffer overflow vulnerabilities?

What are buffer overflow vulnerabilities?

Buffer overflow vulnerabilities occur when a program writes more data to a buffer than it can hold, leading to potential exploits.

How can these vulnerabilities be exploited?

Attackers can exploit buffer overflows to execute arbitrary code, crash programs, or gain unauthorized access to systems.

What are some common examples of buffer overflow attacks?

Common examples include the Morris Worm and various attacks on software like Microsoft Windows and Linux applications.

How can developers prevent buffer overflow vulnerabilities?

Developers can prevent these vulnerabilities by using safe programming languages, implementing bounds checking, and employing security tools.