Quiz - Secure Code Competition

What threat model applies to all websites equally?

• The Five Eyes threat model applies equally.

• The OWASP threat model applies equally.

• The NIST threat model applies equally.

• There is no 'one size fits all' threat model.

Answer explanation

Explanation: Every threat model needs to be customized for the website in question, and the most likely attackers.

Why is encryption important for sensitive data?

• To increase data accessibility

• To enhance data compression

• To protect against unauthorized access

• To improve data processing speed

Answer explanation

Explanation: Encryption protects sensitive information from unauthorized access by making it unreadable without the proper decryption key.

What is the role of logging in application security?

• Enhancing user experience

• Capturing security-relevant events

• Reducing system resource usage

• Improving code readability

Answer explanation

Explanation: Logging captures security-relevant events, aiding in the identification and analysis of potential threats.

What is the primary purpose of input validation in secure coding?

• To increase data transmission speed

• To enhance user experience

• To prevent injection attacks

• To improve code readability

Answer explanation

Input validation helps prevent injection attacks by ensuring that user input adheres to specified criteria.

Which of the following is a key element of a strong password policy?

• Short passwords without complexity

• Regular use of default passwords

• Length, complexity, and regular updates

• Storing passwords in plaintext

Answer explanation

A strong password policy includes requirements such as length, complexity, and regular updates to enhance security.

Which practice can help manage the risk of using components with known vulnerabilities?

• Ignoring updates and patches

• Regularly updating and patching dependencies

• Relying solely on default configurations

• Disabling software composition analysis tools

Answer explanation

Regularly updating and patching dependencies helps manage the risk associated with using components with known vulnerabilities.

In the context of secure coding, what is the purpose of session timeout?

• To prolong user sessions indefinitely

• To enhance user experience

• To prevent unauthorized access by terminating inactive sessions

• To increase system resource usage

Answer explanation

Explanation: Session timeout helps prevent unauthorized access by automatically terminating inactive sessions.

When implementing access controls in a secure coding environment, what is the principle of least privilege?

• Granting users the highest level of access by default

• Limiting users' access rights to the minimum necessary for their tasks

• Granting access based on seniority within the organization

• Ignoring access controls in favor of performance optimization

Answer explanation

The principle of least privilege involves limiting users' access rights to the minimum necessary for their tasks, reducing the potential impact of security incidents.

In a secure coding environment, what is the role of "Dependency Scanning" tools?

• Identifying vulnerabilities in third-party libraries and components

• Optimizing code for performance

• Ensuring proper input validation

• Monitoring runtime behavior for security incidents

Answer explanation

Explanation: Dependency scanning tools identify vulnerabilities in third-party libraries and components, helping developers address security issues related to dependencies.

What is a zero-day vulnerability?

• a bug that resets the calendar to January 1st, 1970 – the first day in the Unix epoch

• a security vulnerability that the developer has not been made aware of prior to its exploitation

• a vulnerability that takes almost no time at all to usefully exploit

• a system vulnerability that is clock based, such as an exploit that is only useful during nightly maintenance windows

Answer explanation

Explanation: Zero-day refers to an exploit that hasn't been detected or worked on by those who developed the system.