In the context of a CGI application with a memory bug, which security threat is being exploited?

The chosen answer, which identifies buffer overflow as the security threat being exploited in the context of a CGI application with a memory bug, is particularly relevant because buffer overflows occur when a program writes more data to a block of memory, or buffer, than it was allocated for. This situation can lead to unintended behavior, such as overwriting adjacent memory locations, which can be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code or crash the application.

Buffer overflow vulnerabilities are common in applications that use vulnerable programming languages like C and C++, where memory management is handled manually without built-in protection mechanisms. In the context of a CGI application, which often runs on a web server and is exposed to numerous users, an unhandled buffer overflow could potentially allow an attacker to execute malicious code, resulting in unauthorized access to the server or sensitive user information.

Addressing this issue typically requires collaboration with the web developer to identify the source of the problem in the code and implement protective measures, such as bounds checking or using safer functions that prevent buffer overflows. By working together, they can ensure the integrity of the application and protect it from exploitation.

The other options correspond to different types of security threats that are not necessarily related to memory bugs in a CGI application. SQL injection, for instance