ISC CISSP Practice Test 90
Question 890
A public API uses user-controlled path segments to read files directly from a shared storage directory. What should the security manager recommend as the MOST appropriate response to the current requirement?
- Enforce safe storage names, media validation and isolated upload processing.
- Apply proper contextual output encoding and appropriate browser defenses at the rendering boundary.
- Canonicalize and validate paths against an approved base directory with least-privilege file access.
- Strip only the literal substring './' from the request and trust all remaining input.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Path traversal can escape intended directories even when file names appear harmless. This directly addresses the stated situation.
Incorrect Answers
A:This is appropriate for a later condition (A new feature allows users to upload documents to the same service.), but it does not directly resolve the initial need. Upload handling adds content and execution risk beyond file path access.
B:This response addresses a different condition: A web application echoes stored user profile text into HTML attributes without context-aware encoding. The present case requires the measure described by Canonicalize and validate paths against an approved base directory with least-privilege file access.
D:Alternate encodings and path forms can bypass simplistic string filtering. The proposal would not be defensible for this case.
Question 891
A public API uses user-controlled path segments to read files directly from a shared storage directory. A designer proposes: Strip only the literal substring './' from the request and trust all remaining input. What is the MOST significant security deficiency in this proposal?
- Upload handling adds content and execution risk beyond file path access.
- Authentication and scopes may not alone establish rights over individual objects.
- Alternate encodings and path forms can bypass simplistic string filtering.
- Signed identity is not authorization for another customer's object.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Alternate encodings and path forms can bypass simplistic string filtering. This is the direct weakness in the proposed action.
Incorrect Answers
A:This explains a later shift in requirements (A new feature allows users to upload documents to the same service.), not the failure of the current proposal.
B:This is an advantage of another design (Validate token audience and scopes and enforce resource ownership on each operation.), not the particular flaw of Strip only the literal substring './' from the request and trust all remaining input.
D:This is a limitation elsewhere: A backend API trusts an OAuth access token but accepts requests to arbitrary resource IDs without per-object authorization. It does not explain the deficiency of the specified proposed approach.
Question 892
A public API uses user-controlled path segments to read files directly from a shared storage directory. The organization has now implemented this response: Canonicalize and validate paths against an approved base directory with least-privilege file access. Which observation would MOST directly demonstrate that the security objective was met?
- Cross-tenant read and write tests fail while permitted requests succeed.
- An approved change ticket for Canonicalize and validate paths against an approved base directory with least-privilege file access. without a completed verification result.
- Encoded traversal tests are denied and access remains within the intended directory.
- Negative stored-XSS payloads render as inert text with no script execution.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Encoded traversal tests are denied and access remains within the intended directory. This validates that path traversal can escape intended directories even when file names appear harmless.
Incorrect Answers
A:This other observation is relevant to: A backend API trusts an OAuth access token but accepts requests to arbitrary resource IDs without per-object authorization.
B:An approved change without an executed test cannot prove operating effectiveness. The needed evidence is Encoded traversal tests are denied and access remains within the intended directory.
D:This demonstrates controls in another circumstance: A web application echoes stored user profile text into HTML attributes without context-aware encoding.
Question 893
A previous security situation was: A public API uses user-controlled path segments to read files directly from a shared storage directory. Now the requirement changes: A new feature allows users to upload documents to the same service. Which NEW action BEST answers the changed need?
- Strip only the literal substring './' from the request and trust all remaining input.
- Encoded traversal tests are denied and access remains within the intended directory.
- Enforce safe storage names, media validation and isolated upload processing.
- Canonicalize and validate paths against an approved base directory with least-privilege file access.
Explanation
Correct Answer
C:Upload handling adds content and execution risk beyond file path access. The revised action is Enforce safe storage names, media validation and isolated upload processing.
Incorrect Answers
A:This remains inappropriate: Alternate encodings and path forms can bypass simplistic string filtering.
B:This is a record of how the initial safeguard would be checked, not an action implementing the newly requested condition: Encoded traversal tests are denied and access remains within the intended directory.
D:This is the appropriate response to the original situation: Path traversal can escape intended directories even when file names appear harmless. It does not directly meet the new condition.
Question 894
A web application echoes stored user profile text into HTML attributes without context-aware encoding. What should the security manager recommend as the MOST appropriate response to the current requirement?
- Validate token audience and scopes and enforce resource ownership on each operation.
- Apply proper contextual output encoding and appropriate browser defenses at the rendering boundary.
- Escape SQL quotes and assume the browser cannot execute injected markup.
- Use an allowlist-based sanitizer designed for the permitted rich-text markup.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:HTML and attribute contexts can turn untrusted text into executable browser code. This directly addresses the stated situation.
Incorrect Answers
A:This response addresses a different condition: A backend API trusts an OAuth access token but accepts requests to arbitrary resource IDs without per-object authorization. The present case requires the measure described by Apply proper contextual output encoding and appropriate browser defenses at the rendering boundary.
C:SQL escaping protects a different interpreter and does not prevent XSS in HTML. The proposal would not be defensible for this case.
D:This is appropriate for a later condition (The app starts accepting rich-text comments with limited safe formatting.), but it does not directly resolve the initial need. Rich text requires controlled HTML parsing rather than simple unformatted text encoding.
Question 895
A web application echoes stored user profile text into HTML attributes without context-aware encoding. A designer proposes: Escape SQL quotes and assume the browser cannot execute injected markup. What is the MOST significant security deficiency in this proposal?
- Path traversal can escape intended directories even when file names appear harmless.
- SQL escaping protects a different interpreter and does not prevent XSS in HTML.
- Alternate encodings and path forms can bypass simplistic string filtering.
- Rich text requires controlled HTML parsing rather than simple unformatted text encoding.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:SQL escaping protects a different interpreter and does not prevent XSS in HTML. This is the direct weakness in the proposed action.
Incorrect Answers
A:This is an advantage of another design (Canonicalize and validate paths against an approved base directory with least-privilege file access.), not the particular flaw of Escape SQL quotes and assume the browser cannot execute injected markup.
C:This is a limitation elsewhere: A public API uses user-controlled path segments to read files directly from a shared storage directory. It does not explain the deficiency of the specified proposed approach.
D:This explains a later shift in requirements (The app starts accepting rich-text comments with limited safe formatting.), not the failure of the current proposal.
Question 896
A web application echoes stored user profile text into HTML attributes without context-aware encoding. The organization has now implemented this response: Apply proper contextual output encoding and appropriate browser defenses at the rendering boundary. Which observation would MOST directly demonstrate that the security objective was met?
- An approved change ticket for Apply proper contextual output encoding and appropriate browser defenses at the rendering boundary. without a completed verification result.
- Negative stored-XSS payloads render as inert text with no script execution.
- Cross-tenant read and write tests fail while permitted requests succeed.
- Encoded traversal tests are denied and access remains within the intended directory.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Negative stored-XSS payloads render as inert text with no script execution. This validates that hTML and attribute contexts can turn untrusted text into executable browser code.
Incorrect Answers
A:An approved change without an executed test cannot prove operating effectiveness. The needed evidence is Negative stored-XSS payloads render as inert text with no script execution.
C:This demonstrates controls in another circumstance: A backend API trusts an OAuth access token but accepts requests to arbitrary resource IDs without per-object authorization.
D:This other observation is relevant to: A public API uses user-controlled path segments to read files directly from a shared storage directory.
Question 897
A previous security situation was: A web application echoes stored user profile text into HTML attributes without context-aware encoding. Now the requirement changes: The app starts accepting rich-text comments with limited safe formatting. Which NEW action BEST answers the changed need?
- Negative stored-XSS payloads render as inert text with no script execution.
- Use an allowlist-based sanitizer designed for the permitted rich-text markup.
- Apply proper contextual output encoding and appropriate browser defenses at the rendering boundary.
- Escape SQL quotes and assume the browser cannot execute injected markup.
Explanation
Correct Answer
B:Rich text requires controlled HTML parsing rather than simple unformatted text encoding. The revised action is Use an allowlist-based sanitizer designed for the permitted rich-text markup.
Incorrect Answers
A:This is a record of how the initial safeguard would be checked, not an action implementing the newly requested condition: Negative stored-XSS payloads render as inert text with no script execution.
C:This is the appropriate response to the original situation: HTML and attribute contexts can turn untrusted text into executable browser code. It does not directly meet the new condition.
D:This remains inappropriate: SQL escaping protects a different interpreter and does not prevent XSS in HTML.
Question 898
A backend API trusts an OAuth access token but accepts requests to arbitrary resource IDs without per-object authorization. What should the security manager recommend as the MOST appropriate response to the current requirement?
- Validate token audience and scopes and enforce resource ownership on each operation.
- Treat any signed user token as permission to view every tenant's records.
- Use approved narrowly scoped delegated access with session recording and expiry.
- Canonicalize and validate paths against an approved base directory with least-privilege file access.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Authentication and scopes may not alone establish rights over individual objects. This directly addresses the stated situation.
Incorrect Answers
B:Signed identity is not authorization for another customer's object. The proposal would not be defensible for this case.
C:This is appropriate for a later condition (A support role needs audited temporary impersonation to resolve a ticket.), but it does not directly resolve the initial need. Support delegation introduces exceptional access that must be independently controlled.
D:This response addresses a different condition: A public API uses user-controlled path segments to read files directly from a shared storage directory. The present case requires the measure described by Validate token audience and scopes and enforce resource ownership on each operation.
Question 899
A backend API trusts an OAuth access token but accepts requests to arbitrary resource IDs without per-object authorization. A designer proposes: Treat any signed user token as permission to view every tenant's records. What is the MOST significant security deficiency in this proposal?
- Signed identity is not authorization for another customer's object.
- SQL escaping protects a different interpreter and does not prevent XSS in HTML.
- Support delegation introduces exceptional access that must be independently controlled.
- HTML and attribute contexts can turn untrusted text into executable browser code.
Explanation
Correct Answer
A:Signed identity is not authorization for another customer's object. This is the direct weakness in the proposed action.
Incorrect Answers
B:This is a limitation elsewhere: A web application echoes stored user profile text into HTML attributes without context-aware encoding. It does not explain the deficiency of the specified proposed approach.
C:This explains a later shift in requirements (A support role needs audited temporary impersonation to resolve a ticket.), not the failure of the current proposal.
D:This is an advantage of another design (Apply proper contextual output encoding and appropriate browser defenses at the rendering boundary.), not the particular flaw of Treat any signed user token as permission to view every tenant's records.
Question 900
A backend API trusts an OAuth access token but accepts requests to arbitrary resource IDs without per-object authorization. A later change introduces this additional requirement: A support role needs audited temporary impersonation to resolve a ticket. Select THREE elements that together supply the initial control, objective evidence of effectiveness, and the changed-requirement response. (Select THREE.)
- Use approved narrowly scoped delegated access with session recording and expiry.
- Treat any signed user token as permission to view every tenant's records.
- Canonicalize and validate paths against an approved base directory with least-privilege file access.
- Encoded traversal tests are denied and access remains within the intended directory.
- Validate token audience and scopes and enforce resource ownership on each operation.
- Cross-tenant read and write tests fail while permitted requests succeed.
Explanation
Correct Answers
A:Correct — changed condition. Support delegation introduces exceptional access that must be independently controlled.
E:Correct — initial control. Authentication and scopes may not alone establish rights over individual objects.
F:Correct — observable control evidence. The relevant result is: Cross-tenant read and write tests fail while permitted requests succeed. This provides a completed control test rather than an implementation promise.
Incorrect Answers
B:Incorrect — it fails the original constraint. Signed identity is not authorization for another customer's object.
C:Incorrect — the measure Canonicalize and validate paths against an approved base directory with least-privilege file access. addresses a different case: A public API uses user-controlled path segments to read files directly from a shared storage directory.
D:Incorrect — this evidence applies to another case: A public API uses user-controlled path segments to read files directly from a shared storage directory. The specified requirement here is A backend API trusts an OAuth access token but accepts requests to arbitrary resource IDs without per-object authorization.