buffer overflow
noun1
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.
Computer security
- 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?2005, Gert De Laet, Gert Schauwers, Network Security Fundamentals, Cisco Press, →ISBN, page 28:
- Related terms
- stack smashing