How To Prevent A Buffer Overflow Attack
A buffer overflow is one of the best known forms of software security vulnerability and is still a commonly used cyber attack.
You can prevent a buffer overflow attack by auditing code, providing training, using compiler tools, using safe functions, patching web and application servers, and scanning applications.
What Is A Buffer Overflow Attack?
In a buffer overflow attack, an application receives more input than it expects. As a result, the error exposes the system memory to a malicious threat.
While a buffer overflow itself doesn’t cause damage, it does expose a vulnerability.
Threat actors are then able to access memory locations beyond the application’s buffer, which enables them to write malicious code into this area of memory.
When the application is executed the malicious code is launched.
Read More: 10 Cyber Security Trends You Can’t Ignore In 2021
How Do You Prevent A Buffer Overflow Attack?
You can prevent a buffer overflow attack by:
- Performing routine code auditing (automated or manual).
- Providing training including bounds checking, use of unsafe functions, and group standards.
- Using compiler tools such as StackShield, StackGuard, and Libsafe.
- Using safe functions such as strncat instead of strcat, strncpy instead of strcpy, etc
- Patching web and application servers regularly and be aware of bug reports relating to applications upon which your code is dependent.
- Periodically scan your application with one or more of the commonly available scanners that look for buffer overflow flaws in your server products and your custom web applications.
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