Cisco Cyber Security Practice Exam

Which type of attack involves exploiting a vulnerability that leads to memory overload in applications?

1. Buffer overflow

2. Cross-site scripting

3. Credential stuffing

4. SQL Injection

The correct answer is: Buffer overflow

The correct choice, which refers to a buffer overflow attack, involves exploiting a flaw in a software application where the program attempts to write more data to a fixed-length block of memory, or buffer, than it was allocated for. This overflow of data can corrupt adjacent memory locations, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code, manipulate the application’s behavior, or crash the system. Buffer overflow attacks often arise from inadequate input validation or improper handling of user input, making it essential for developers to implement proper security measures against such vulnerabilities. In contrast, cross-site scripting involves injecting malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, which does not exploit memory directly. Credential stuffing relies on using stolen usernames and passwords to gain unauthorized access to accounts, typically leveraging existing user credentials rather than exploiting application-level vulnerabilities. SQL injection attacks manipulate SQL queries to access or modify databases by injecting malicious statements into input fields, focusing on data manipulation instead of memory issues. Each of these attacks targets different components of an application and its underlying architecture, differentiating them from the memory overload characteristic of buffer overflow attacks.