code cave

noun

A sequence of null bytes in a process's memory, offering the capacity for the injection of custom instructions by a attacker.

Meanings

nouncode cave (plural code caves)

plural code caves

  1. computingA sequence of null bytes in a process's memory, offering the capacity for the injection of custom instructions by a attacker.

    Once a code cave is created, you can execute it using either thread injection or thread hijacking.

    2016, Nick Cano, Game Hacking: Developing Autonomous Bots for Online Games
    1 more example

    In ELF executables, there aren't a whole lot of code caves (such as in the PE format), so you are not likely to be able to shove more than just a meager amount of shellcode into existing code slots […]

    2016, Ryan "elfmaster" O'Neill, Learning Linux Binary Analysis (page 97)
Cite this entry
APA

code cave. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/code%20cave

MLA

“code cave.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/code%20cave. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “code cave,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/code%20cave.

Source: code cave on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.