overrun screw
A variety of fandango on core produced by a C program scribbling past the end of
an array (C implementations typically have no checks for this error). This is
relatively benign and easy to spot if the array is static; if it is auto, the
result may be to smash the stack - often resulting in heisenbugs of the most
diabolical subtlety. The term "overrun screw" is used especially of scribbles
beyond the end of arrays allocated with malloc; this typically overwrites the
allocation header for the next block in the arena, producing massive lossage
within malloc and often a core dump on the next operation to use stdio or malloc
itself.
See spam, overrun; see also memory leak, memory smash, aliasing bug, precedence
lossage, fandango on core, secondary damage.
(1995-01-19)
Nearby terms:
overloading « overriding « overrun « overrun
screw » overuse strain injury » OWHY » OWL
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