To answer this question one must know what a buffer is. A buffer is memory storage that serves to temporarily store data while it is moving it from one place to another. Now that we have an idea of what a buffer is I can explain what buffer overflow is. Buffer overflow is when a program has too much data to
process at once which in turn causes the program to shut down. It shows flaws in code
that causes buffers to hold more information in their memory than they can handle. Once the information gets into the server/computer it can be specific data that instructs the computer to
harm itself such as destroy or damage user’s files and data. These are types of
viruses that can attack computers, which in turn make the computer vulnerable
and weak.
An example of buffer overflow was when Microsoft Outlook and
Outlook Express were targeted in 2000, when an attacker sent a virus threw
their email. Even though nobody ever opened it, it was still able to access the
computer once downloaded off the server due to bad coding. It was said that Microsoft had a very hard
time fixing this issue but eventually they were able to create a patch for it.
Clarification: Buffer overflows don't necessarily involve viruses at all. A buffer overflow vulnerability may just be exploited once by a hacker, or something like that, rather than a virus that spreads from computer to computer.
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