20 Questions
What is a common attack mechanism that can occur due to buggy code and careless programming practices?
Buffer overflow
What is a common attack mechanism?
Buffer overflow
When does a stack overflow occur?
When a process attempts to store data beyond the limits of a fixed-sized buffer
What makes prevention techniques a major concern?
Buggy code and careless programming practices
What can happen when adjacent memory locations are overwritten due to a buffer overflow?
All of the above
What happens when a process attempts to store data beyond the limits of a fixed-sized buffer?
A stack overflow occurs
What does an attacker need to identify in order to exploit a buffer overflow?
A vulnerability in a program that can be triggered using externally sourced data under the attacker's control
What can overwriting adjacent memory locations lead to?
All of the above
What does an attacker need to exploit a buffer overflow?
A vulnerability in a program that can be triggered using externally sourced data under the attacker's control
How can vulnerable programs be identified?
All of the above
How can vulnerable programs be identified?
All of the above
Which languages are vulnerable to buffer overflow due to allowing direct access to memory?
C and related languages
What programming languages are vulnerable to buffer overflow?
C and related languages
What are stack buffer overflows?
Overflows that occur when a buffer is located on the stack
Which of the following C standard library routines are considered unsafe?
gets() and sprintf(
What are stack buffer overflows?
Overflows that occur when buffer is located on the stack
What are some examples of attacks that have used buffer overflow vulnerabilities?
Morris Internet Worm, Code Red worm, Slammer worm, and Sasser worm
Which of these is NOT a common unsafe C standard library routine?
strlen(
Why are prevention techniques for buffer overflow still a major concern?
Because buggy code and careless programming practices are still common
What are some examples of attacks that have used buffer overflow vulnerabilities?
Malware attacks
Study Notes
- Buffer overflow is a common attack mechanism
- Prevention techniques are known but still a major concern due to buggy code and careless programming practices
- Stack overflows occur when a process attempts to store data beyond the limits of a fixed-sized buffer
- Overwriting adjacent memory locations can lead to corruption of program data, unexpected transfer of control, memory access violations, and execution of code chosen by attacker
- To exploit a buffer overflow, an attacker needs to identify a vulnerability in a program that can be triggered using externally sourced data under the attacker's control
- Identifying vulnerable programs can be done by inspecting program source, tracing program execution, or using fuzzing tools
- C and related languages are vulnerable to buffer overflow due to allowing direct access to memory
- Stack buffer overflows occur when buffer is located on the stack and are still being widely exploited
- Some common unsafe C standard library routines include gets(), sprintf(), strcat(), and strcpy()
- Exploits of buffer overflow vulnerabilities have been used in various attacks, including the Morris Internet Worm, Code Red worm, Slammer worm, and Sasser worm.
Take this quiz to test your knowledge on buffer overflow attacks and prevention techniques. Learn about the dangers of buggy code and careless programming practices, stack overflows, and how overwriting adjacent memory locations can lead to program data corruption and unexpected transfer of control. Find out how attackers exploit vulnerabilities in programs and how to identify vulnerable programs using various tools. Discover why C and related languages are vulnerable to buffer overflow and which standard library routines to avoid. Test your knowledge on famous attacks that have utilized buffer overflow vulnerabilities.
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