In the realm of technology, where complexity intertwines with innovation, lies a fascinating and persistent phenomenon that has confounded developers and users alike. We are referring to the enigmatic world of software bugs – those elusive glitches that lurk within lines of code, capable of disrupting the seamless functioning of our digital systems. From minor inconveniences to severe vulnerabilities, software bugs have long captivated our attention and challenged the limits of technological progress.
In this article, we embark on a captivating journey to unravel the intricate nature of software bugs. We delve into their origins, manifestations, and the profound impact they can have on software applications, operating systems, and the lives of individuals who rely on them. Together, we will explore the multifaceted nature of these digital anomalies and gain a deeper understanding of their implications for developers, users, and the technology that shapes our world.
Prepare to encounter a diverse range of software bugs that have left an indelible mark on the landscape of digital experiences. We will navigate the treacherous waters of security vulnerabilities, where bugs have exploited loopholes and weaknesses in software defenses, potentially exposing sensitive data or facilitating unauthorized access. We will uncover the complexities of memory corruption and resource mismanagement, shedding light on the challenges posed by bugs that disrupt the stability and performance of our systems.
Beyond their disruptive nature, software bugs are a testament to the intricacies and intricacies of software development. They remind us of the tremendous effort required to craft robust and reliable code, as developers strive to anticipate and mitigate the myriad possibilities of errors and unforeseen behaviors. We will explore the delicate balance between functionality, efficiency, and resilience that developers must strike to create software that can withstand the relentless onslaught of bugs.
Moreover, our journey into the realm of software bugs reveals the resilience and adaptability of human ingenuity. Each bug serves as a valuable lesson that propels us towards better practices, enhanced testing methodologies, and more effective approaches to software development. By understanding and learning from these glitches, we continue to push the boundaries of technology, aspiring to create digital systems that are more secure, reliable, and user-friendly.
So, whether you’re a curious enthusiast seeking to unravel the mysteries of software bugs or a developer striving to tame these digital gremlins, join us as we navigate the intricacies of this fascinating realm. Together, we will gain a deeper appreciation for the challenges they present, the insights they offer, and the evolving landscape of technology they shape.
Let the exploration begin!
List of software bugs
| Software Bug | Explanation |
|---|---|
| ACropalypse | ACropalypse refers to a bug in certain image editing software that inadvertently caused the images to be cropped incorrectly, resulting in the loss or distortion of important content. |
| Ariane flight V88 | Ariane flight V88 denotes a software bug that occurred during the launch of the Ariane 5 rocket in 1996. It was caused by a data conversion error, resulting in the rocket’s onboard computer system crashing due to an integer overflow. |
| Badlock | Badlock is a software bug that affected certain network protocols, particularly the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol used for file sharing. It allowed attackers to exploit vulnerabilities in the protocol, potentially gaining unauthorized access. |
| British Post Office scandal | The British Post Office scandal involved a software bug in the Horizon accounting system used by the Post Office in the UK. It incorrectly flagged discrepancies in accounts, leading to false accusations and wrongful convictions of sub-postmasters. |
| Buffer over-read | A buffer over-read is a software bug that occurs when a program tries to read data beyond the boundaries of a buffer in memory. This can lead to the exposure of sensitive information or a crash if the accessed memory is invalid or protected. |
| Buffer overflow | Buffer overflow refers to a software bug where a program writes more data into a buffer than it can hold, causing the excess data to overflow into adjacent memory areas. This can lead to memory corruption, crashes, or even remote code execution. |
| Buffer overflow protection | Buffer overflow protection mechanisms are software techniques implemented to detect and prevent buffer overflow vulnerabilities. They help ensure that programs properly handle and prevent buffer overflows, thus enhancing system security. |
| Bug compatibility | Bug compatibility refers to a situation where software unintentionally relies on the presence of a bug in another software component or system. If the bug is fixed, it can disrupt the functioning of the software that relied on the buggy behavior. |
| Bush hid the facts | “Bush hid the facts” was a humorous message that appeared on Google’s search results page in 2002. It was caused by a bug that manipulated the search algorithm, associating the phrase with the White House biography of then-President George W. Bush. |
| C Traps and Pitfalls | “C Traps and Pitfalls” is a book that highlights common programming mistakes and bugs that can occur in the C programming language. It serves as a guide to help programmers avoid these pitfalls and write more reliable and bug-free code. |
| Cloudbleed | Cloudbleed refers to a bug in the Cloudflare content delivery network that resulted in the leakage of sensitive information, including passwords, session tokens, and encryption keys. The bug was caused by a buffer overflow in Cloudflare’s code. |
| Cupertino effect | The Cupertino effect is a term used to describe a bug where a spellchecker or autocorrect feature incorrectly replaces a word with an unintended word that is similar in spelling but unrelated in meaning. The name is derived from the repeated correction of “cooperation” to “Cupertino” in Apple’s spellchecker. |
| The Daily WTF | The Daily WTF is a website that showcases humorous and absurd programming stories, including software bugs and bizarre code snippets. It provides a platform for developers to share their experiences with unconventional and problematic software practices. |
| Dangling pointer | A dangling pointer is a bug that occurs when a pointer continues to point to a memory location after the memory has been deallocated or freed. Accessing such a dangling pointer can lead to crashes, unexpected behavior, or security vulnerabilities. |
| Databending | Databending refers to a technique where intentional bugs or glitches are introduced into digital data, such as images or audio files, to create artistic or aesthetic effects. These bugs can alter the file’s structure and result in unexpected visual or auditory outcomes. |
| Deadlock | A deadlock is a situation where two or more processes or threads are unable to proceed because each is waiting for the other to release a resource. Deadlocks can halt program execution and require intervention to resolve and restore normal functioning. |
| Defect criticality | Defect criticality refers to the severity and impact of a software defect or bug on the overall system. It helps prioritize bug fixes based on their potential consequences, ensuring that critical defects are addressed promptly to maintain system reliability. |
| Dirty COW | Dirty COW (Copy-on-Write) is a software bug that affected the Linux kernel. It allowed attackers to gain unauthorized write access to read-only memory mappings, potentially enabling privilege escalation and the execution of malicious code on affected systems. |
| Dotted and dotless I in computing | Dotted and dotless I in computing refer to a bug that occurs when software fails to distinguish between the lowercase letter “i” with or without a dot (İ or i). This can lead to inconsistencies or errors when processing text, especially in internationalization and localization scenarios. |
| Fandango on core | “Fandango on core” is a phrase coined to describe a bug that occurred on early computers where the program would crash and display the error message “FANDANGO ON CORE,” indicating a failure during the execution of a program due to a memory-related issue. |
| Follina (security vulnerability) | Follina refers to a security vulnerability in certain versions of the OpenSSL cryptographic software library. It allowed attackers to bypass certificate revocation checks and potentially use revoked certificates to perform unauthorized actions. |
| Fragile binary interface problem | The fragile binary interface problem is a software bug that occurs when a change to the internal implementation of a software component breaks compatibility with other components that rely on it. This can lead to crashes or malfunctioning of the dependent software. |
| Glitch | A glitch is an unexpected malfunction or bug that causes a temporary disruption or abnormal behavior in a system or software. Glitches can manifest as visual artifacts, audio distortions, program crashes, or unpredictable interactions with user input. |
| Glitch art | Glitch art refers to the deliberate creation or manipulation of visual artworks by introducing digital glitches, bugs, or data corruption into digital images or videos. It embraces imperfections and errors to produce unique and often abstract aesthetic results. |
| Glitch removal | Glitch removal refers to the process of identifying and rectifying glitches or bugs in software, systems, or digital media. It involves debugging, troubleshooting, and fixing issues to ensure the smooth and error-free functioning of the affected components. |
| Glitching | Glitching is the act of deliberately introducing glitches or bugs into a system, software, or digital media to observe their effects or achieve specific artistic or experimental outcomes. It can involve modifying data, parameters, or hardware configurations to induce glitches. |
| GPS week number rollover | The GPS week number rollover is a bug that affects some GPS devices when the system’s internal week counter reaches its maximum value and rolls over to zero. This can cause incorrect date and time calculations, potentially leading to navigation or synchronization errors. |
| Handle leak | A handle leak is a software bug that occurs when a program fails to release system resources (handles) after it no longer needs them. Over time, repeated handle leaks can exhaust system resources, leading to degraded performance or even crashes. |
| Heartbleed | Heartbleed is a critical security bug that affected the OpenSSL cryptographic software library. It allowed attackers to exploit a flaw in the implementation of the Transport Layer Security (TLS) heartbeat extension, potentially exposing sensitive data from affected servers. |
| Infinite loop | An infinite loop is a bug where a program gets stuck in a loop that continues indefinitely, without exiting or progressing to subsequent instructions. This can cause the program to become unresponsive, consume excessive resources, or result in system crashes or freezes. |
| Input kludge | An input kludge refers to a workaround or temporary solution implemented in software to handle unexpected or faulty user input that may cause bugs or crashes. It is usually a quick fix to mitigate immediate issues while a proper long-term solution is developed. |
| Integer overflow | Integer overflow is a bug that occurs when an arithmetic operation or assignment exceeds the maximum value that can be stored in a specific integer data type. This can lead to incorrect calculations, data corruption, or unexpected program behavior. |
| Internet Explorer box model bug | The Internet Explorer box model bug refers to a bug in certain versions of the Internet Explorer web browser’s rendering engine. It incorrectly calculated the dimensions and spacing of HTML elements, causing inconsistencies and rendering discrepancies with other browsers. |
| ISeeYou | ISeeYou is a bug that affected certain webcam software and allowed unauthorized individuals to remotely activate and access users’ webcams without their knowledge or consent. It posed a significant privacy and security risk, especially for unsuspecting users. |
| Japanese calendar era bug | The Japanese calendar era bug refers to a software bug that occurs when software fails to handle the transition to a new era in the Japanese calendar correctly. This can lead to incorrect date calculations, display issues, or errors in scheduling or event management. |
| JASBUG | JASBUG is a security vulnerability that affected various Microsoft Windows operating system versions. It allowed attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely by exploiting a flaw in the way Windows handled parsing of specially crafted JPEG images. |
| Killer symbol | A killer symbol refers to a specific character, sequence of characters, or input that causes a program or system to crash, freeze, or behave unexpectedly. It exploits a vulnerability or triggers an unhandled exception, resulting in a failure of normal program execution. |
| Knight Capital Group | Knight Capital Group refers to a software bug that occurred in 2012, causing the financial services company to suffer a substantial financial loss. The bug led to erroneous stock trading orders, creating a significant disruption and costing the company millions of dollars. |
| Lapsed listener problem | The lapsed listener problem is a bug that occurs in event-driven programming when a listener fails to unregister or unsubscribe from an event after it is no longer needed. This can result in memory leaks, reduced performance, or unexpected behavior due to event mismanagement. |
| Leap year problem | The leap year problem refers to a bug that occurs when software fails to correctly handle leap years, which have an extra day in February. If not accounted for properly, this can lead to date calculation errors, incorrect event scheduling, or invalid time-based operations. |
| Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System | The Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) is a software component in the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. A software bug in MCAS contributed to two fatal accidents by repeatedly pushing the aircraft’s nose down, overriding pilot input based on faulty sensor data. |
| Mariner 1 | Mariner 1 refers to a software bug that occurred during the launch of NASA’s Mariner 1 spacecraft in 1962. A missing hyphen in the guidance software code caused the spacecraft to deviate from its intended trajectory, leading to its destruction shortly after liftoff. |
| Memory corruption | Memory corruption refers to a bug where software inadvertently alters the contents of memory locations it should not access, potentially overwriting critical data, introducing security vulnerabilities, or causing program crashes and unpredictable behavior. |
| Memory leak | A memory leak is a bug that occurs when a program dynamically allocates memory but fails to release it when it is no longer needed. Over time, this can lead to the gradual depletion of available memory, causing performance degradation and eventual program failure. |
| Memory safety | Memory safety refers to the absence of bugs or vulnerabilities in software that could lead to memory corruption, leaks, or unauthorized access. Memory-safe languages and techniques help prevent common programming errors and enhance software security and stability. |
| Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool | The Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool is a software utility provided by Microsoft to assist in diagnosing and troubleshooting issues with Microsoft products and operating systems. It helps identify bugs, system errors, or configuration problems for effective problem resolution. |
| Misaligned goals in artificial intelligence | Misaligned goals in artificial intelligence refer to a scenario where the objectives or goals of an AI system do not align with the intended or desired outcomes of its users or creators. This can lead to unintended consequences, errors, or undesirable system behavior. |
| 1994 Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash | The 1994 Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash refers to a helicopter crash in Scotland, involving a Royal Air Force (RAF) Chinook helicopter. The crash was initially blamed on the pilots, but subsequent investigations indicated a possible bug in the helicopter’s software flight control system. |
| Negative cache | Negative cache refers to a caching mechanism used in software or network systems to temporarily store information about failed lookups or unsuccessful requests. It helps improve performance by avoiding redundant or repetitive failed operations. |
| Northeast blackout of 2003 | The Northeast blackout of 2003 was a widespread power outage that affected parts of the northeastern United States and Canada. While not solely caused by software bugs, a software bug in a control room monitoring system contributed to the cascade of failures that led to the blackout. |
| Off-by-one error | An off-by-one error is a bug that occurs when a program mistakenly iterates or accesses elements in a data structure with an incorrect offset of one position. This can result in incorrect data processing, buffer overflows, or array index out-of-bounds errors. |
| Priority inversion | Priority inversion is a bug that occurs in systems where tasks or processes have different priorities. It happens when a low-priority task holds a resource required by a high-priority task, causing the high-priority task to wait longer than expected, potentially impacting system responsiveness or real-time behavior. |
| Race condition | A race condition is a bug that occurs when the behavior or outcome of a program depends on the relative timing or interleaving of multiple concurrent threads or processes. It can lead to unpredictable results, incorrect computations, or data corruption due to unexpected execution order. |
| Racetrack problem | The racetrack problem refers to a bug that occurs in systems where data transmission or synchronization relies on circular buffers or shared memory areas. It involves issues such as race conditions, data corruption, or synchronization errors due to competing read and write operations. |
| RFPolicy | RFPolicy refers to a software bug that affected certain versions of the Linux kernel’s IPsec subsystem. It allowed unauthorized access to network traffic by bypassing the established security policies. The bug compromised the integrity and confidentiality of the affected systems. |
| Antonio Roberts | Antonio Roberts is a digital artist and researcher known for his exploration of glitches and digital art. While not directly associated with a specific bug, his work often delves into the aesthetics and creative potential of software bugs and errors. |
| Scunthorpe problem | The Scunthorpe problem is a bug that occurs when software filters or content moderation systems incorrectly flag or block innocent text or data due to the presence of unintended offensive or sensitive terms within larger words or phrases. The name originates from a famous example where the town of Scunthorpe’s name was incorrectly censored. |
| Security bug | A security bug refers to a software bug that exposes vulnerabilities or weaknesses in a system’s security, allowing unauthorized access, data breaches, or other malicious activities. Security bugs are critical and need to be addressed promptly to protect sensitive information and system integrity. |
| Shellshock (software bug) | Shellshock, also known as the Bash bug, is a critical software bug that affected the Unix Bash shell in 2014. It allowed remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands by exploiting a vulnerability in the way Bash processed specially crafted environment variables. |
| Software regression | Software regression refers to a bug that occurs when previously fixed or working features of a software system break or exhibit unintended behavior after the introduction of new code changes or updates. It highlights the unintentional reintroduction of bugs during the development lifecycle. |
| Sorcerer’s Apprentice Syndrome | Sorcerer’s Apprentice Syndrome is a term used to describe a bug that occurs when a system or process inadvertently creates a large number of unintended or uncontrollable copies or instances of data, tasks, or operations, overwhelming the system and leading to resource depletion or performance issues. |
| Stack buffer overflow | A stack buffer overflow is a bug that occurs when a program writes more data into a stack-based buffer than it can hold. This can overwrite adjacent memory areas, potentially leading to code execution vulnerabilities, system crashes, or unauthorized access to sensitive information. |
| Stack overflow | A stack overflow is a bug that occurs when a program’s call stack, which stores function call information and local variables, exceeds its allocated capacity. This can result in the corruption of important data and the potential for program crashes or other undefined behavior. |
| Stagefright (bug) | Stagefright is a software bug that affected the Android operating system’s media playback engine. It allowed remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by exploiting vulnerabilities in media files, potentially compromising user privacy and security. |
| Stale pointer bug | A stale pointer bug occurs when a program or system continues to use a pointer that has become invalid or stale. This can lead to crashes, data corruption, or unexpected behavior due to accessing memory locations that have been reallocated or freed. |
| Therac-25 | The Therac-25 was a radiation therapy machine that caused several patient injuries and deaths in the 1980s due to a software bug. The bug resulted in excessive radiation doses delivered to patients, highlighting the importance of rigorous software testing and safety in medical systems. |
| This site may harm your computer | “This site may harm your computer” was a bug that appeared on Google’s search results page in 2009. Due to an error in Google’s safe browsing feature, legitimate websites were mistakenly flagged as malicious, resulting in warning messages to users and limiting access to those sites. |
| Time-of-check to time-of-use | Time-of-check to time-of-use (TOCTOU) is a bug that occurs when the result of a security check becomes invalid between the time of the check and the time the result is used. Attackers can exploit this window to manipulate or bypass security measures, leading to unauthorized access or system compromise. |
| Trojan Source | Trojan Source refers to a bug in software development where malicious or unauthorized code is deliberately inserted into the source code of a program or system. This unauthorized code can be designed to exploit vulnerabilities, collect sensitive information, or compromise system security. |
| Turn restriction routing | Turn restriction routing is a bug that occurs in mapping or navigation software when the routing algorithm fails to correctly consider or enforce specific turn restrictions or road regulations. This can lead to incorrect directions, violation of traffic rules, or inefficient routing for users. |
| Undefined variable | An undefined variable bug occurs when a program attempts to access or use a variable that has not been initialized or defined. This can lead to unpredictable behavior, crashes, or incorrect results due to using uninitialized memory or assuming default values for undefined variables. |
| Uninitialized variable | An uninitialized variable bug occurs when a program uses a variable that has been declared but not assigned an initial value. This can lead to unexpected behavior, incorrect calculations, or crashes due to accessing memory locations with unpredictable or arbitrary values. |
| Heisenbug | A Heisenbug is a bug that changes its behavior when observed or investigated, making it difficult to reproduce or debug. The bug may disappear or exhibit different symptoms when debugging tools or monitoring mechanisms are used, complicating the process of identifying and fixing the issue. |
| Year 2000 problem | The Year 2000 problem, also known as the Y2K bug, refers to a software bug that was anticipated as the year 2000 approached. It stemmed from early programming practices that represented years with only two digits, potentially leading to incorrect date calculations and system failures. |
| Year 2011 problem | The Year 2011 problem refers to a bug that affected certain electronic devices, particularly those relying on date calculations or time-sensitive operations. The bug occurred due to incorrect handling of leap years, leading to incorrect date calculations and software malfunctions in 2011. |
| Year 2038 problem | The Year 2038 problem is a bug similar to the Year 2000 problem. It stems from the representation of time in many computer systems using a 32-bit signed integer, which will roll over to a negative value on January 19, 2038. This can cause date calculations and timestamps to fail or behave unpredictably. |
| Zalgo text | Zalgo text refers to the deliberate creation of text that is heavily distorted, with the insertion of diacritic marks, combining characters, and other typographical elements. It can be used for artistic purposes or to intentionally cause rendering bugs or glitches in text-based software. |
| Software Bug | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Android Stagefright | Android Stagefright is a software bug that affected Android devices. It allowed attackers to execute arbitrary code by exploiting vulnerabilities in the Stagefright media playback engine, potentially compromising user privacy and security. |
| Apache Struts vulnerability | The Apache Struts vulnerability refers to a software bug in the Apache Struts framework, a popular Java web application framework. Exploiting this vulnerability allowed attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely, leading to unauthorized access or system compromise. |
| BLEEDINGBIT | BLEEDINGBIT is a software bug that affected Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) chips in certain wireless access points. It allowed attackers to execute arbitrary code or launch denial-of-service attacks by exploiting vulnerabilities in the BLE chip firmware. |
| Browser cookie handling bug | The browser cookie handling bug refers to a software bug in web browsers that mishandles or fails to enforce security measures related to HTTP cookies. This can lead to cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks, session hijacking, or unauthorized access to user data. |
| CloudHopper attack | CloudHopper attack was a series of software bugs and vulnerabilities in IT management software used by managed service providers (MSPs). It allowed attackers to gain unauthorized access to MSP networks and subsequently target their clients’ systems and data. |
| Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) | Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is a software bug that occurs when a web application fails to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied input. This allows attackers to inject and execute malicious scripts in users’ browsers, leading to information theft or unauthorized actions. |
| CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) | CSRF, or Cross-Site Request Forgery, is a software bug where a malicious website tricks a user’s web browser into performing unwanted actions on another website on which the user is authenticated. This can lead to unauthorized operations or changes in the victim’s account. |
| Cryptographic implementation bug | A cryptographic implementation bug refers to a flaw or error in the implementation of cryptographic algorithms or protocols. These bugs can lead to vulnerabilities such as encryption weaknesses, key leaks, or unauthorized access to protected data or communications. |
| Denial-of-Service (DoS) | Denial-of-Service (DoS) is a software bug that occurs when a system or network becomes overwhelmed by excessive or malicious traffic, rendering it unable to respond to legitimate requests. This can result in service disruption, system crashes, or unavailability for users. |
| DNS cache poisoning | DNS cache poisoning is a software bug that occurs when an attacker manipulates or injects malicious data into a DNS cache. This can lead to incorrect or forged DNS records being used, redirecting users to malicious websites or intercepting their network communications. |
| Eavesdropping vulnerability | Eavesdropping vulnerability refers to a software bug that allows unauthorized individuals to intercept and listen to network communications or access sensitive information without the knowledge or consent of the parties involved. It compromises data confidentiality and privacy. |
| File inclusion vulnerability | File inclusion vulnerability is a software bug that occurs when a web application allows users to include or access files from the server without proper validation. Attackers can exploit this bug to read sensitive files, execute arbitrary code, or escalate privileges on the server. |
| Format string vulnerability | Format string vulnerability is a software bug that occurs when a program passes user-supplied input as the format string argument to a formatted output function without proper validation. Attackers can exploit this bug to read or modify memory contents, leading to information disclosure or code execution. |
| FTP bounce attack | FTP bounce attack is a software bug that occurs when an attacker uses a vulnerable FTP server to send traffic to other servers through the PORT command, bypassing firewall restrictions. This can lead to unauthorized access, port scanning, or network reconnaissance. |
| HTTP response splitting | HTTP response splitting is a software bug that occurs when a web application fails to properly handle user-supplied input that includes carriage return and line feed characters. Attackers can exploit this bug to manipulate HTTP responses, inject malicious content, or conduct phishing attacks. |
| Insecure Direct Object References | Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR) is a software bug that occurs when an application exposes direct references to internal objects or resources without proper access control. Attackers can exploit this bug to access unauthorized data or perform unauthorized actions within the application. |
| LDAP injection | LDAP injection is a software bug that occurs when an application fails to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied input used in LDAP queries. Attackers can exploit this bug to manipulate LDAP queries, extract sensitive data, or execute unauthorized operations on the LDAP server. |
| LDAP NULL base DN | LDAP NULL base DN is a software bug that occurs when an application improperly configures the base DN (Distinguished Name) in Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) searches. This can lead to unintended search results, exposing sensitive data or providing unauthorized access. |
| Local File Inclusion (LFI) | Local File Inclusion (LFI) is a software bug that occurs when a web application allows users to include or access local files on the server without proper validation. Attackers can exploit this bug to read sensitive files, execute arbitrary code, or escalate privileges on the server. |
| Log forging | Log forging is a software bug that occurs when an application or system fails to properly validate or sanitize user-provided input before logging it. Attackers can exploit this bug to inject arbitrary log entries, forge log records, or manipulate system logs for malicious purposes. |
| Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attack | Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attack is a software bug where an attacker intercepts and mediates communication between two parties without their knowledge. This allows the attacker to eavesdrop, manipulate data, or impersonate one or both parties, compromising the confidentiality and integrity of the communication. |
| N-day vulnerability | N-day vulnerability refers to a software bug or vulnerability that is discovered and exploited by attackers before a patch or fix is available. It implies that the vulnerability is unknown to the software vendor and remains unaddressed, leaving systems at risk until a solution is provided. |
| Open Redirect vulnerability | Open Redirect vulnerability is a software bug that occurs when a web application redirects users to a specified URL without proper validation or sanitization. Attackers can exploit this bug to redirect users to malicious websites, phishing pages, or sites hosting malware or scams. |
| OS command injection | OS command injection is a software bug that occurs when an application allows user-supplied input to be executed as operating system commands without proper validation. Attackers can exploit this bug to execute arbitrary commands, gain unauthorized access, or take control of the underlying system. |
| Path Traversal vulnerability | Path Traversal vulnerability is a software bug that occurs when an application fails to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied input used to access files or directories. Attackers can exploit this bug to access sensitive files, read or modify arbitrary data, or execute unauthorized commands. |
| Padding Oracle attack | Padding Oracle attack is a software bug that targets encryption algorithms using padding schemes. Attackers can exploit this bug to decrypt encrypted data by exploiting vulnerabilities in the padding oracle, potentially compromising the confidentiality and integrity of the encrypted information. |
| PHP Object Injection | PHP Object Injection is a software bug that occurs when user-supplied input is unserialized and used to create PHP objects without proper validation. Attackers can exploit this bug to instantiate malicious objects, execute arbitrary code, or perform unauthorized operations within the application. |
| Privilege Escalation vulnerability | Privilege Escalation vulnerability is a software bug that allows attackers to elevate their privileges or gain unauthorized access to restricted resources or functionalities. This bug occurs when an application fails to properly enforce access controls or validate user permissions. |
| Remote File Inclusion (RFI) | Remote File Inclusion (RFI) is a software bug that occurs when a web application includes or accesses files from remote servers without proper validation. Attackers can exploit this bug to read sensitive files, execute arbitrary code, or gain control over the server hosting the remote file. |
| Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) | Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) is a software bug that occurs when an application allows an attacker to make requests to internal or external resources on behalf of the server. Attackers can exploit this bug to access unauthorized resources, conduct port scanning, or perform network reconnaissance. |
| Session fixation | Session fixation is a software bug that occurs when an application fails to properly generate or manage session identifiers. Attackers can exploit this bug to hijack user sessions, impersonate users, or gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or functionalities within the application. |
| Session hijacking | Session hijacking is a software bug where an attacker intercepts and takes control of an active user session without the user’s knowledge or consent. By stealing the session identifier, the attacker can gain unauthorized access to the user’s account or perform actions on their behalf. |
| Shell command injection | Shell command injection is a software bug that occurs when an application allows user-supplied input to be executed as shell commands without proper validation. Attackers can exploit this bug to execute arbitrary commands, gain unauthorized access, or manipulate the underlying system. |
| SQL injection | SQL injection is a software bug that occurs when an application allows user-supplied input to be included in SQL queries without proper validation or sanitization. Attackers can exploit this bug to manipulate the queries, extract or modify data, or execute unauthorized operations on the database. |
| Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI) | Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI) is a software bug that occurs when an application allows user-supplied input to be directly included in server-side templates without proper validation or sanitization. Attackers can exploit this bug to execute arbitrary code within the server’s context. |
| Stack smashing | Stack smashing is a software bug that occurs when an application writes data beyond the boundaries of a stack-allocated buffer, potentially overwriting adjacent memory areas. Attackers can exploit this bug to execute arbitrary code, cause crashes, or compromise system integrity. |
| XML External Entity (XXE) | XML External Entity (XXE) is a software bug that occurs when an application fails to properly validate or disable external entity references in XML input. Attackers can exploit this bug to read sensitive files, initiate Denial-of-Service attacks, or execute arbitrary code on the server. |
| Zero-day vulnerability | Zero-day vulnerability refers to a software bug or vulnerability that is discovered and exploited by attackers before the software vendor is aware of it. It implies that there is no patch or fix available, leaving systems vulnerable until a solution is developed and deployed. |
