Editing Von Neumann architecture (section)

===Self-modifying code===
{{main|Self-modifying code}}

Aside from the von Neumann bottleneck, program modifications can be quite harmful, either by accident or design.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}} In some simple stored-program computer designs{{which?|reason=Is this relevant on any modern machine?|date=April 2025}}, a malfunctioning program can damage itself, other programs, or the operating system, possibly leading to a computer crash. However, this problem also applies to conventional programs that lack [[bounds checking]]. [[Memory protection]] and various access controls generally safeguard against both accidental and malicious program changes.