There is a very simple, efficient solution: always put a null termination character in the end position of the destination after the strncpy(). If the source is

There is a very simple, efficient solution: always put a null termination character in the end position of the destination after the strncpy(). If the source is longer than the destination, it will properly terminate the destination. If it isn't longer, it didn't cost (hardly) anything. Unfortunately, it isn't automatic so some times humans will forget to do it. #include <stdio.h> #include <string.h> int main(int argc, char *argv[]) { char *src = "Gobblygook is a long string"; char dest[5]; strncpy(dest, src, sizeof(dest)); dest[sizeof(dest) - 1] = '\0'; printf("src = %s\ndest = %s\n", src, dest); } make test ./test src = Gobblygook is a long string dest = Gobb