GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies Practice Test

Which is true regarding buffer overflows?

1. They occur only in high-level programming languages

2. They can lead to arbitrary code execution if exploited

3. They are harmless to most systems

4. They can be prevented with proper design

The correct answer is: They can lead to arbitrary code execution if exploited

Buffer overflows can lead to arbitrary code execution if exploited, making this statement true. A buffer overflow occurs when data exceeds a buffer's storage capacity and overwrites adjacent memory, which can corrupt data, crash the program, or create opportunities for attackers to inject malicious code. When an attacker successfully exploits a buffer overflow, they can gain control of the execution flow of a program and potentially execute arbitrary code with the same privileges as the affected process. This is a significant security risk, especially in programs with elevated privileges. The significance of this risk highlights the importance of secure coding practices and memory management. Understanding how buffer overflows can be exploited is crucial for developers and cybersecurity professionals to safeguard systems against such vulnerabilities. This knowledge enables them to implement effective practices, such as bounds checking and memory-safe languages, to mitigate the risk associated with buffer overflows.