Buffer Overflow
A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.
How It Works
A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions. This overwrites whatever data or code exists there, corrupting program state and potentially giving attackers control over execution flow.
Stack-based overflows are the most common variant. When a function allocates a fixed-size buffer on the stack and then copies user-controlled input without proper bounds checking, attackers can overflow past the buffer to overwrite the function's return address. When the function completes, instead of returning to legitimate code, execution jumps to attacker-specified memory containing malicious shellcode. Heap-based overflows work differently—they corrupt heap metadata like chunk size fields or free list pointers, leading to arbitrary memory writes when the allocator processes the corrupted structures.
Modern exploitation bypasses defensive mechanisms through techniques like Return-Oriented Programming (ROP), which chains together existing code snippets to avoid non-executable memory protections. Attackers may also use heap spraying to reliably position shellcode at predictable addresses, defeating address randomization.
Impact
- Remote code execution — attacker gains ability to run arbitrary commands with the privileges of the vulnerable process
- Privilege escalation — exploiting kernel or setuid program overflows to gain root/SYSTEM access
- Denial of service — crashes and memory corruption that render systems unusable
- Information disclosure — reading sensitive data from adjacent memory regions that should be inaccessible
- Authentication bypass — overwriting security-critical variables like permission flags or user IDs
Real-World Examples
Fortinet FortiOS suffered a critical buffer overflow (CVE-2025-32756) that allowed unauthenticated remote attackers to execute code as root on firewalls and VPN gateways. Attackers actively exploited this to compromise enterprise network perimeters before patches were available.
The Slammer worm from 2003 exploited a stack overflow in Microsoft SQL Server, spreading to 75,000 hosts in ten minutes by sending a single malformed UDP packet that overwrote the return address with shellcode. No authentication was required.
OpenSSH historically contained a heap overflow in challenge-response authentication that allowed pre-authentication remote root compromise on Unix systems, demonstrating how memory corruption in privileged network services creates maximum impact scenarios.
Mitigation
- Memory-safe languages — Rust, Go, and modern managed languages prevent buffer overflows by design through automatic bounds checking
- Stack canaries — random values placed before return addresses that detect corruption before control transfer
- Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) — randomizes memory locations making exploitation less reliable
- Data Execution Prevention (DEP/NX) — marks memory regions as non-executable, preventing direct shellcode execution
- Bounds checking — validate input sizes before copying, use safe functions like
strncpyinstead ofstrcpy - Fuzzing and static analysis — automated testing to discover overflows before deployment
Recent CVEs (36588)
Experion server may experience a DoS due to a stack overflow when handling a specially crafted message. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
In notification access permission dialog box, malicious application can embedded a very long service label that overflow the original user prompt and possibly contains mis-leading information to be. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
In DMPixelLogger_ProcessDmCommand of DMPixelLogger.cpp, there is a possible out of bounds read due to a missing bounds check. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
In incfs_kill_sb of fs/incfs/vfs.c, there is a possible memory corruption due to a use after free. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.7), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
there is a possible out of bounds read due to a missing bounds check. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.2), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
In multiple functions of io_uring.c, there is a possible kernel memory corruption due to improper locking. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.7), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
In multiple functions of binder.c, there is a possible memory corruption due to a use after free. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
In gatt_end_operation of gatt_utils.cc, there is a possible out of bounds write due to a missing bounds check. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Write vulnerability could allow attackers to write data beyond allocated buffer boundaries leading to code execution or crashes.
In validateForCommonR1andR2 of PasspointConfiguration.java, there is a possible way to inflate the size of a config file with no limits due to a buffer overflow. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. This Buffer Copy without Size Check vulnerability could allow attackers to overflow a buffer to corrupt adjacent memory.
In rw_i93_send_to_upper of rw_i93.cc, there is a possible out of bounds write due to an integer overflow. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds read vulnerability that could lead to disclosure of sensitive memory. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Adobe InDesign versions ID18.3 (and earlier) and ID17.4.1 (and earlier) are affected by an out-of-bounds write vulnerability that could result in arbitrary code execution in the context of the. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
A flaw was found in libtiff. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Where this vulnerability exists in the Rockwell Automation 1756-EN4* Ethernet/IP communication products, it could allow a malicious user to cause a denial of service by asserting the target system. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Where this vulnerability exists in the Rockwell Automation 1756 EN2* and 1756 EN3* ControlLogix communication products, it could allow a malicious user to perform remote code execution with. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
In iwnpi server, there is a possible out of bounds write due to a missing bounds check. Rated medium severity (CVSS 4.4), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
In hci_server, there is a possible out of bounds read due to a missing bounds check. Rated medium severity (CVSS 4.4), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
In libimpl-ril, there is a possible out of bounds write due to a missing bounds check. Rated medium severity (CVSS 4.4), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
In libimpl-ril, there is a possible out of bounds write due to a missing bounds check. Rated medium severity (CVSS 4.4), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
A CWE-120: Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input (Classic Buffer Overflow) vulnerability exists that could cause user privilege escalation if a local user sends specific string input to a local. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Buffer Copy without Size Check vulnerability could allow attackers to overflow a buffer to corrupt adjacent memory.
Use-After-Free, Out-of-bounds Write and Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerabilities exist in the DWG and DXF file reading procedure in SOLIDWORKS Desktop from Release SOLIDWORKS 2021 through Release. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
GPAC v2.3-DEV-rev381-g817a848f6-master was discovered to contain a segmentation violation in the BM_ParseIndexValueReplace function at /lib/libgpac.so. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
GPAC v2.3-DEV-rev381-g817a848f6-master was discovered to contain a segmentation violation in the gf_isom_remove_user_data function at /lib/libgpac.so. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
GPAC v2.3-DEV-rev381-g817a848f6-master was discovered to contain a segmentation violation in the gf_dump_vrml_sffield function at /lib/libgpac.so. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
GPAC v2.3-DEV-rev381-g817a848f6-master was discovered to contain a segmentation violation in the dump_isom_scene function at /mp4box/filedump.c. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
Paint 3D Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity.
Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Windows Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.2), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity.
Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
Windows Extended Negotiation Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity.
Microsoft PostScript and PCL6 Class Printer Driver Information Disclosure Vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
Windows Deployment Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity.
Remote Procedure Call Runtime Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Remote Procedure Call Runtime Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Remote Procedure Call Runtime Information Disclosure Vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Remote Procedure Call Runtime Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
Microsoft PostScript and PCL6 Class Printer Driver Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity.
Windows Common Log File System Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Microsoft PostScript and PCL6 Class Printer Driver Information Disclosure Vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Remote Procedure Call Runtime Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity.
Remote Procedure Call Runtime Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity.
Remote Procedure Call Runtime Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity.
Remote Procedure Call Runtime Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity.
Remote Procedure Call Runtime Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity.
Remote Procedure Call Runtime Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity.
Remote Procedure Call Runtime Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Microsoft Excel Information Disclosure Vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Microsoft ActiveX Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.0), this vulnerability is no authentication required.
Microsoft PostScript and PCL6 Class Printer Driver Information Disclosure Vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity.
Microsoft Failover Cluster Information Disclosure Vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 4.9), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity.
Paint 3D Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity.
Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Microsoft PostScript and PCL6 Class Printer Driver Information Disclosure Vulnerability. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Remote Procedure Call Runtime Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Remote Procedure Call Runtime Denial of Service Vulnerability. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. This Out-of-bounds Read vulnerability could allow attackers to read data from memory outside the intended buffer boundaries.
Redis is an in-memory database that persists on disk. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
The Rockwell Automation PowerMonitor 1000 contains stored cross-site scripting vulnerabilities within the web page of the product. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Buffer Overflow vulnerability in Avast AntiVirus before v.19.7 allows a local attacker to cause a denial of service via a crafted request to the aswSnx.sys driver. Rated medium severity (CVSS 5.5), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. This Buffer Copy without Size Check vulnerability could allow attackers to overflow a buffer to corrupt adjacent memory.
A buffer overflow in the level parsing code of RobTop Games AB Geometry Dash v2.113 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via entering a Geometry Dash level. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
A vulnerability has been identified in Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2201 (All versions < V2201.0008), Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2302 (All versions < V2302.0002). Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
A vulnerability has been identified in Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2201 (All versions < V2201.0008), Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2302 (All versions < V2302.0002). Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
A vulnerability has been identified in Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2201 (All versions < V2201.0008), Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2302 (All versions < V2302.0002). Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
A vulnerability has been identified in Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2201 (All versions < V2201.0008), Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2302 (All versions < V2302.0002). Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
A vulnerability has been identified in Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2201 (All versions < V2201.0008), Tecnomatix Plant Simulation V2302 (All versions < V2302.0002). Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
The SAP Web Dispatcher - versions WEBDISP 7.53, WEBDISP 7.54, WEBDISP 7.77, WEBDISP 7.85, WEBDISP 7.89, WEBDISP 7.91, WEBDISP 7.92, WEBDISP 7.93, KERNEL 7.53, KERNEL 7.54 KERNEL 7.77, KERNEL 7.85,. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.4), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
A heap buffer overflow vulnerability was found in sox, in the lsx_readbuf function at sox/src/formats_i.c:98:16. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
A heap buffer overflow vulnerability was found in sox, in the startread function at sox/src/hcom.c:160:41. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.8), this vulnerability is low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
Tenda AC1206 V15.03.06.23, F1202 V1.2.0.20(408), and FH1202 V1.2.0.20(408) were discovered to contain a stack overflow in the page parameter in the fromSetIpBind function. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
Tenda AC1206 V15.03.06.23 and AC10 V15.03.06.47 were discovered to contain a stack overflow in the deviceId parameter in the saveParentControlInfo function. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
Tenda AC1206 V15.03.06.23 and AC10 V15.03.06.47 were discovered to contain a stack overflow in the wpapsk_crypto parameter in the fromSetWirelessRepeat function. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
Tenda FH1203 V2.0.1.6 was discovered to contain a stack overflow via the page parameter in the fromVirtualSer function. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
Tenda FH1203 V2.0.1.6 was discovered to contain a stack overflow via the entrys parameter in the fromAddressNat function. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
Tenda FH1203 V2.0.1.6 was discovered to contain a stack overflow via the page parameter in the fromAddressNat function. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
Tenda FH1203 V2.0.1.6 was discovered to contain a stack overflow via the deviceId parameter in the formSetClientState function. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.
Tenda FH1203 V2.0.1.6 was discovered to contain a stack overflow via the speed_dir parameter in the formSetSpeedWan function. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. Public exploit code available and no vendor patch available.