A buffer overflow attack occurs when a program writes more data to a designated storage area (buffer) than it can handle, leading to data overflow into adjacent memory. This can be exploited by attackers to execute malicious code or compromise system integrity.
Example
Equifax data breach in 2017 was caused by a vulnerability in the Apache Struts web application framework. The specific issue was a remote code execution vulnerability resulting from improper validation of user-supplied input. Attackers were able to exploit this vulnerability through a crafted request, triggering a buffer overflow and allowing them to execute arbitrary code on the affected servers.
