smash the stack
[C programming] n. On many C implementations it
is possible to corrupt the execution stack by writing past the end
of an array declared `auto' in a routine. Code that does this
is said to `smash the stack', and can cause return from the
routine to jump to a random address. This can produce some of the
most insidious data-dependent bugs known to mankind. Variants
include `trash' the stack,
scribble the stack,
mangle
the stack; the term *
mung the stack is not used, as this is
never done intentionally. See
spam; see also {aliasing
bug},
fandango on core,
memory leak,
memory smash,
precedence lossage,
overrun screw.
