buffer overflow

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

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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?

See also

• stack smashing