10 Questions
What is shellcode?
Code that is supplied by an attacker and saved in a buffer being overflowed
What is the traditional purpose of shellcode?
To transfer control to a user command-line interpreter.
What can stack overflow variants target?
All of the above
What are the two broad defense approaches against buffer overflows?
Compile-time and run-time defenses
What is the aim of compile-time defenses?
To harden programs to resist attacks in new programs.
What are safe coding techniques?
Auditing the existing code base and using safe libraries.
What can language extensions and safe libraries do?
Replace unsafe standard library routines.
What do stack protection mechanisms do?
Add function entry and exit code to check the stack for signs of corruption.
What is the aim of run-time defenses?
To detect and abort attacks in existing programs.
How can executable address space protection be achieved?
By blocking the execution of code in certain areas of memory.
Study Notes
- Shellcode is code supplied by an attacker that is often saved in a buffer being overflowed.
- Traditionally, shellcode transferred control to a user command-line interpreter.
- Stack overflow variants can target shellcode functions, trusted system utilities, network service daemons, commonly used library code, etc.
- Buffer overflows are widely exploited, and there are two broad defense approaches: compile-time and run-time defenses.
- Compile-time defenses aim to harden programs to resist attacks in new programs.
- Safe coding techniques include auditing the existing code base and using safe libraries.
- Language extensions and safe libraries can replace unsafe standard library routines.
- Stack protection mechanisms can add function entry and exit code to check the stack for signs of corruption.
- Run-time defenses aim to detect and abort attacks in existing programs.
- Executable address space protection can be done by blocking the execution of code on the stack.
Test your knowledge of shellcode and buffer overflows with this quiz! Learn about the different types of attacks that can be targeted, as well as the two main approaches to defending against them: compile-time and run-time defenses. Discover safe coding techniques, language extensions, and stack protection mechanisms that can help prevent stack corruption and keep your programs secure. Take the quiz now and see how much you know about protecting your systems from malicious attacks!
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