Ületäitumised

Ületäitumised, often translated as "overflows" or "overruns," refers to a concept in computer science and engineering where a process attempts to store more data in a buffer than it can hold. This excess data is then written beyond the allocated memory space, potentially overwriting adjacent data or code. This phenomenon can lead to unpredictable program behavior, including crashes, incorrect calculations, and security vulnerabilities.

There are various types of overflows, with buffer overflows being the most common. Other related concepts include stack overflows, which occur when the program's call stack exceeds its capacity, and integer overflows, where an arithmetic operation results in a value too large to be represented by the available integer type.

The consequences of an ületäitumine can range from minor glitches to critical system failures. In the context of security, attackers can exploit buffer overflows to inject malicious code into a program, gaining unauthorized access or control over a system. Defensive programming techniques, such as bounds checking and using safer data structures, are employed to prevent these issues. Understanding ületäitumised is crucial for developing robust and secure software.