- The C string library, while fast, can cause buffer overrun errors if used incorrectly, posing security risks.
- strcpy() is problematic when source strings are larger than the destination buffer or not NULL-terminated, potentially allowing hackers to overwrite memory.
- strncpy() was introduced to limit copying but often leaves strings non-NULL terminated, leading to errors and unnecessary padding.
- Linux spent six years and over 360 patches to remove strncpy, replacing it with functions like strscpy() that guarantee NULL termination and clearer semantics.