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CAS-005 · Question #488

A security analyst discovers a compromised internal server and finds that the attack vector was an application. When extracting a memory dump with the application process content, the analyst…

The correct answer is A. Implement address space layout randomization and canary stacks. The memory dump shows repeated /x90 (NOP sled), which is indicative of a buffer overflow exploit. Implementing address space layout randomization (ASLR) and stack canaries is the best defense, as they prevent attackers from reliably predicting memory addresses and detecting…

Submitted by olafpl· Mar 6, 2026Security Engineering

Question

A security analyst discovers a compromised internal server and finds that the attack vector was an application. When extracting a memory dump with the application process content, the analyst observes the following:

Which of the following solutions should the analyst recommend to best address this issue and avoid reoccurrence?

Options

  • AImplement address space layout randomization and canary stacks.
  • BReduce the buffer size to allow for less stored data.
  • CImprove character filtering and input validation for user inputs.
  • DAllow only the use of digitally signed and validated libraries.

How the community answered

(46 responses)
  • A
    78% (36)
  • B
    7% (3)
  • C
    4% (2)
  • D
    11% (5)

Explanation

The memory dump shows repeated /x90 (NOP sled), which is indicative of a buffer overflow exploit. Implementing address space layout randomization (ASLR) and stack canaries is the best defense, as they prevent attackers from reliably predicting memory addresses and detecting stack-based buffer overflows, thereby mitigating this type of attack.

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