Buffer Overflow

Abstract

Assignment #3 Buffer Overflow Due: October 15, 2015 The learning objective of this assignment is for students to gain first-hand experience with a buffer overflow vulnerability, applying what they have learned about this type of vulnerability in class. A buffer overflow is defined as the condition in which a program attempts to write data beyond the boundaries of a fixed length buffers. This vulnerability can be exploited by a malicious user to alter the control flow of the program or even execute arbitrary pieces of code sent by the attacker. This vulnerability arises due to the mixing of the storage for data (e.g. buffers) and the storage for controls (e.g. return addresses): an overflow in the data part can affect the control flow of the program, because an overflow can change the return address.