buffer overflow

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

buffer overflow (plural buffer overflows)

1. (computer security) The event when the amount of data sought to be added to a buffer exceeds the size of the buffer; generally resulting in a catastrophic error if this case has not been anticipated.

   Synonym: buffer overrun

   • 2005, Gert De Laet, Gert Schauwers, Network Security Fundamentals, Cisco Press, →ISBN, page 28:

     When a program or process tries to store more data in a buffer than it was originally anticipated to hold, a buffer overflow occurs. What is really happening during a buffer overflow?

Translations

Translations

• Finnish: puskurin yliajo, puskurin ylivuoto
• German: Pufferüberlauf m, Bufferüberlauf m
• Polish: przepełnienie bufora n

See also

• stack smashing