Entries Tagged as 'Buffer Overrun'

How to fix a slow PC

Slowing of the PC is probably the most common problem of all and it can be quite frustrating at times. There are several ways to fix slow PC and it depends on what is actually slowing the PC down. Some of the reasons of PC slowdown include:

  • Windows Registry problems
  • Temporary files
  • Virus or spyware
  • Computer Games

Cleaning your PC

Let’s take a look at each of the areas and understand how best you can fix slow PC. The most common reasons for a slowdown are the accumulation of temporary files and we often tend to overlook this aspect.

Temporary Internet files: Temporary internet files get downloaded automatically when you visit the internet and cookies also get downloaded. Not all cookies are bad but some can be quite harmful. Most of the temporary internet files are stored in the temp folder in Windows. Deleting the files from the temp folder will automatically fix slow PC problems and even make your PC work faster and better. You can even delete them directly from Internet Explorer by doing to tools>Internet options>Delete Cookies and Delete Files. In Mozilla Firefox you need to go to tools>options>privacy>clear now>clear private data>ok. You have to clean up temporary internet folder and remove the temp files as well as cookies to fix slow PC problems and make your computer perform better. If you are using Windows XP then follow this path: Start>programs>accessories>system tools>disk cleanup to clean temp files and fix slow PC problems.

Windows Registry problems: Windows registry is one of the most important folders on your computer because it stores vital information and data regarding all the programs or files being used on your PC. Sometimes, due to registry errors, your PC may slow down and the only option is to clean it. If you are technically qualified to handle Windows Registry repair then it is fine. Alternatively to fix slow PC problems, you can download a Windows registry cleaner like RegCure or RegClean. There are plenty of good softwares available over the internet that can clean your Windows Registry, delete obsolete files and fix slow PC problems.

Virus and Spyware: Virus attacks or spyware attacks can also make your PC slow. It is always advisable to have a spyware and an anti-virus running on your PC in the background. There are plenty of good anti-spyware and anti-virus available like Norton, AVG etc and you can use them to fix slow PC problems.

Computer Games: Computer games are a craze but they can damage the overall performance of your PC as well if it is not installed correctly. Always make sure that the games are installed with all their components to avoid or fix slow PC problems.

Buffer Overrun

A buffer overrun calls for a lot of concern because it is considered as one of primary sources that cause security risk. A buffer overrun can occur on any computer and is normally caused when you treat any unchecked data or external input as reliable data. Normally, when you visit the internet and try to open a web page, there are some pages that will show a message stating unreliable data. Most of the times you may click on ok and proceed with the opening of the page because you feel what harm can the data do. This is exactly similar to how a buffer overrun really happens.

When you copy unreliable data using different operations like strcat, CopyMemory, wcscpy or strcpythen it leads to the creation of unanticipated results that further leads to system corruption and you get the buffer overrun error. In some of the cases, an application will automatically abort with a segmentation fault, core dump, or access violation. But when we are talking of the worse case scenario in buffer overrun then it means that an attacker will be able to take advantage of the buffer overrun error and execute their malicious codes into your system process. The most common cause of various exploitable errors or faults is copying of various unchecked input data into the stack-based buffer.

Buffer Overrun Situations

A buffer overrun can take place in different situations and here are some of the situations:

Static buffer overruns

A static buffer overrun takes place when a buffer declared on a stack is introduced to more data than its actual capacity. It can also occur when an unverified user input data gets copied directly to the static variable, which can further lead to a stack corruption.

Heap overruns

Heap overruns is a type of buffer overrun and are quite similar to the static buffer overruns. When a heap overrun occurs, it might cause stack corruption and memory corruption. Heap overruns always take place in heap memory and not on stack memory. Although it might not cause as serious a problem as stack buffer overruns can cause yet it is recommended that they need real programming care, which might mitigate the potential risks.

Array indexing errors

The array indexing errors cause memory overruns. They cause a different type of buffer overrun as compared to the static and heap overrun errors. The only way to prevent this error is through careful index management.

The only way to prevent a buffer overrun is by writing a good code. Whenever it comes to the code, ensure that you have validated all your inputs. It is important to always maintain a high degree of correct programming for the safety of the memory and stack on your PC.