What is the primary goal of a buffer overflow attack?

• A. To overwrite the memory of a program to gain unauthorized access or control.
• B. To crash the program by causing a buffer overflow.
• C. To modify the program's source code remotely.
• D. To gain physical access to the machine.

Answer: (A)

A buffer overflow attack hinges on unsafe memory handling where extra data is written beyond the allocated buffer. This overflow can overwrite adjacent memory, including control data like the return address or function pointers. The attacker’s goal is to redirect execution to code they supply or to a location they control, effectively gaining unauthorized access or control over the program or system. Crashing the program can be a side effect, but it’s not the primary objective; the intended outcome is to run arbitrary code or take control. Other possibilities, such as altering source code remotely or gaining physical access, don’t reflect how a buffer overflow is exploited.