Defining Buffer Overflow Attacks & How to Defend Against Them

During a buffer overflow, a program puts data in a memory area outside the buffer. That step can corrupt your data or crash your program.

Hackers know this, and sometimes they use your innocent-seeming buffer to take over your device. 

Essentially, a buffer is a lifesaver if one of your programs runs out of memory and doesn't want to crash. The program can store data within that buffer and keep working. When your program needs even more memory than it can find within a buffer, it’s vulnerable to buffer overflow attack.

Buffer overflow attacks caused some of the most infamous hacking examples, from the Morris Worm in 1998 to Stagefright in 2015. 

Let's explain how they work, and we'll help you understand how to protect yourself from them.

What Is a Buffer Overflow?

Almost every computer has a buffer. This dedicated space can hold or transport data so you can keep working without experiencing multiple crashes.