Buffer Overflow occurs when an application writes more data to a block of memory, or buffer, than the buffer is allocated to hold. Buffer overflow attacks allow an attacker to modify the __________ in order to control the process execution, crash the process and modify internal variables.

Buffer Overflow occurs when an application writes more data to a block of memory, or buffer, than the buffer is allocated to hold. Buffer overflow attacks allow an attacker to modify the __________ in order to control the process execution, crash the process and modify internal variables.

• A. Target remote access
• B. Target process's address space
• C. Target rainbow table
• D. Target SAM file

Answer: (B)

Buffer overflow exploits rely on overflowing a memory buffer to corrupt adjacent memory in the running process. By overflowing, an attacker can modify the process’s address space—the region where the program stores its code, data, and control information. This often means overwriting the return address on the stack or a function pointer, which can divert execution to attacker-supplied code, crash the program, or change internal variables. That is why the target is the process’s address space: it’s the memory the program relies on for control flow and data, and tampering with it changes how the program runs. Items like remote access, rainbow tables, or the SAM file aren’t what a buffer overflow directly alters, so they don’t fit the mechanism described.

Buffer overflow exploits rely on overflowing a memory buffer to corrupt adjacent memory in the running process. By overflowing, an attacker can modify the process’s address space—the region where the program stores its code, data, and control information. This often means overwriting the return address on the stack or a function pointer, which can divert execution to attacker-supplied code, crash the program, or change internal variables. That is why the target is the process’s address space: it’s the memory the program relies on for control flow and data, and tampering with it changes how the program runs. Items like remote access, rainbow tables, or the SAM file aren’t what a buffer overflow directly alters, so they don’t fit the mechanism described.