What is a Buffer overflow and how do they work?
“In computer security and programming, a buffer overflow, or buffer overrun, is an anomaly where a process stores data in a buffer outside the memory the programmer set aside for it. The extra data overwrites adjacent memory, which may contain other data, including program variables and program flow control data. This may result in erratic program behavior, including memory access errors, incorrect results, program termination (a crash), or a breach of system security. Buffer overflows can be triggered by inputs that are designed to execute code, or alter the way the program operates. They are thus the basis of many software vulnerabilities and can be maliciously exploited.
