overrun screw

2 definitions found

overrun screw - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  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)
  

overrun screw - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  overrun screw
   n.
  
     [C programming] A variety of fandango on core produced by
  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 esp. of scribbles beyond the end of
     arrays allocated with malloc(3); this typically trashes 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(3) or malloc(3) itself. See spam, overrun; see also memory leak
     , memory smash, aliasing bug, precedence lossage,
  fandango on core
     , secondary damage.