What is a common consequence of a buffer overflow?

A common consequence of a buffer overflow is erratic program behavior or security vulnerabilities. A buffer overflow occurs when data written to a buffer exceeds its storage capacity, leading to the overwriting of adjacent memory. This can cause unpredictable behavior in the program, resulting in crashes, data corruption, or unintended actions. Additionally, buffer overflow vulnerabilities can be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code, potentially compromising system security and gaining unauthorized access to sensitive information.

The other options do not accurately reflect the nature of buffer overflows. Increased program efficiency and enhanced data processing speed imply improvements in performance, which are not associated with a buffer overflow since it typically leads to instability. Similarly, improved algorithm performance suggests that the efficiency of the code is enhanced, which contradicts the inherent risk and negative outcomes linked to buffer overflows.