Enterprise Info Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Enterprise Info Security - Essay Example Buffer overflow/overrun is a form of interference where a program overruns the buffer's boundary and overwrites adjacent memory, while writing data to a buffer. Buffer overflows can be triggered by inputs that are designed to execute code, or alter the way the program operates. This may result in erratic program behavior, including memory access errors, incorrect results, a crash, or a breach of system security. They are thus the basis of many software vulnerabilities and can be maliciously exploited Understanding the difference between data and programs is a very important element of avoiding various overflow attacks. When one understands that data is just computer information while a program is the software screen, he or she can be able to apply new defense systems. It’s easy for someone to understand how to use the modern security features like Data Execution Prevention (DEP) can be applied in modern operating system like Mac OSX, Linus and Microsoft Windows. For example DEP works in two different ways; either its hardware encoded or software encoded. Software-encoded DEP do not protect data pages from execution of codes, but from another type of attack. Knowledge about this security features and operating systems is very important when one is looking for the best defense against overflow attacks.