C836 WGU COMPLETE Exam questions and
answers Graded A+
bounds checking - ✅✅to set a limit on the amount of data we expect to receive
to set aside storage for that data
*required in most programming languages
* prevents buffer overflows
race conditions - ✅✅A type of software development vulnerability that occurs
when multiple processes or multiple threads within a process control or share
access to a particular resource, and the correct handling of that resource depends
on the proper ordering or timing of transactions
input validation - ✅✅a type of attack that can occur when we fail to validate
the input to our applications or take steps to filter out unexpected or undesirable
content
format string attack - ✅✅a type of input validation attacks in which certain
print functions within a programming language can be used to manipulate or view
the internal memory of an application
authentication attack - ✅✅A type of attack that can occur when we fail to use
strong authentication mechanisms for our applications
authorization attack - ✅✅A type of attack that can occur when we fail to use
authorization best practices for our applications
,cryptographic attack - ✅✅A type of attack that can occur when we fail to
properly design our security mechanisms when implementing cryptographic
controls in our applications
client-side attack - ✅✅A type of attack that takes advantage of weaknesses in
the software loaded on client machines or one that uses social engineering
techniques to trick us into going along with the attack
XSS (Cross Site Scripting) - ✅✅an attack carried out by placing code in the form
of a scripting language into a web page or other media that is interpreted by a
client browser
XSRF (cross-site request forgery) - ✅✅an attack in which the attacker places a
link on a web page in such a way that it will be automatically executed to initiate a
particular activity on another web page or application where the user is currently
authenticated
clickjacking - ✅✅An attack that takes advantage of the graphical display
capabilities of our browser to trick us into clicking on something we might not
otherwise
server-side attack - ✅✅A type of attack on the web server that can target
vulnerabilities such as lack of input validation, improper or inadequate
permissions, or extraneous files left on the server from the development process
Protocol issues, unauthenticated access, arbitrary code execution, and privilege
escalation - ✅✅Name the 4 main categories of database security issues
,web application analysis tool - ✅✅A type of tool that analyzes web pages or
web-based applications and searches for common flaws such as XSS or SQL
injection flaws, and improperly set permissions, extraneous files, outdated
software versions, and many more such items
protocol issues - ✅✅unauthenticated flaws in network protocols,
authenticated flaws in network protocols, flaws in authentication protocols
arbitrary code execution - ✅✅An attack that exploits an applications
vulnerability into allowing the attacker to execute commands on a user's
computer.
* arbitrary code execution in intrinsic or securable SQL elements
Privilege Escalation - ✅✅An attack that exploits a vulnerability in software to
gain access to resources that the user normally would be restricted from
accessing.
* via SQL injection or local issues
validating user inputs - ✅✅a security best practice for all software
* the most effective way of mitigating SQL injection attacks
Nikto (and Wikto) - ✅✅A web server analysis tool that performs checks for
many common server-side vulnerabilities & creates an index of all the files and
directories it can see on the target web server (a process known as spidering)
, burp suite - ✅✅A well-known GUI web analysis tool that offers a free and
professional version; the pro version includes advanced tools for conducting more
in-depth attacks
fuzzer - ✅✅A type of tool that works by bombarding our applications with all
manner of data and inputs from a wide variety of sources, in the hope that we can
cause the application to fail or to perform in unexpected ways
MiniFuzz File Fuzzer - ✅✅A tool developed by Microsoft to find flaws in file-
handling source code
BinScope Binary Analyzer - ✅✅A tool developed by Microsoft to examine
source code for general good practices
SDL Regex Fuzzer - ✅✅A tool developed by Microsoft for testing certain
pattern-matching expressions for potential vulnerabilities
good sources of secure coding guidelines - ✅✅CERT, NIST 800, BSI, an
organization's internal coding guidelines
OS hardening - ✅✅the process of reducing the number of available avenues
through which our OS might be attacked
attack surface - ✅✅The total of the areas through which our operating system
might be attacked
6 main hardening categories - ✅✅1. Removing unnecessary software
answers Graded A+
bounds checking - ✅✅to set a limit on the amount of data we expect to receive
to set aside storage for that data
*required in most programming languages
* prevents buffer overflows
race conditions - ✅✅A type of software development vulnerability that occurs
when multiple processes or multiple threads within a process control or share
access to a particular resource, and the correct handling of that resource depends
on the proper ordering or timing of transactions
input validation - ✅✅a type of attack that can occur when we fail to validate
the input to our applications or take steps to filter out unexpected or undesirable
content
format string attack - ✅✅a type of input validation attacks in which certain
print functions within a programming language can be used to manipulate or view
the internal memory of an application
authentication attack - ✅✅A type of attack that can occur when we fail to use
strong authentication mechanisms for our applications
authorization attack - ✅✅A type of attack that can occur when we fail to use
authorization best practices for our applications
,cryptographic attack - ✅✅A type of attack that can occur when we fail to
properly design our security mechanisms when implementing cryptographic
controls in our applications
client-side attack - ✅✅A type of attack that takes advantage of weaknesses in
the software loaded on client machines or one that uses social engineering
techniques to trick us into going along with the attack
XSS (Cross Site Scripting) - ✅✅an attack carried out by placing code in the form
of a scripting language into a web page or other media that is interpreted by a
client browser
XSRF (cross-site request forgery) - ✅✅an attack in which the attacker places a
link on a web page in such a way that it will be automatically executed to initiate a
particular activity on another web page or application where the user is currently
authenticated
clickjacking - ✅✅An attack that takes advantage of the graphical display
capabilities of our browser to trick us into clicking on something we might not
otherwise
server-side attack - ✅✅A type of attack on the web server that can target
vulnerabilities such as lack of input validation, improper or inadequate
permissions, or extraneous files left on the server from the development process
Protocol issues, unauthenticated access, arbitrary code execution, and privilege
escalation - ✅✅Name the 4 main categories of database security issues
,web application analysis tool - ✅✅A type of tool that analyzes web pages or
web-based applications and searches for common flaws such as XSS or SQL
injection flaws, and improperly set permissions, extraneous files, outdated
software versions, and many more such items
protocol issues - ✅✅unauthenticated flaws in network protocols,
authenticated flaws in network protocols, flaws in authentication protocols
arbitrary code execution - ✅✅An attack that exploits an applications
vulnerability into allowing the attacker to execute commands on a user's
computer.
* arbitrary code execution in intrinsic or securable SQL elements
Privilege Escalation - ✅✅An attack that exploits a vulnerability in software to
gain access to resources that the user normally would be restricted from
accessing.
* via SQL injection or local issues
validating user inputs - ✅✅a security best practice for all software
* the most effective way of mitigating SQL injection attacks
Nikto (and Wikto) - ✅✅A web server analysis tool that performs checks for
many common server-side vulnerabilities & creates an index of all the files and
directories it can see on the target web server (a process known as spidering)
, burp suite - ✅✅A well-known GUI web analysis tool that offers a free and
professional version; the pro version includes advanced tools for conducting more
in-depth attacks
fuzzer - ✅✅A type of tool that works by bombarding our applications with all
manner of data and inputs from a wide variety of sources, in the hope that we can
cause the application to fail or to perform in unexpected ways
MiniFuzz File Fuzzer - ✅✅A tool developed by Microsoft to find flaws in file-
handling source code
BinScope Binary Analyzer - ✅✅A tool developed by Microsoft to examine
source code for general good practices
SDL Regex Fuzzer - ✅✅A tool developed by Microsoft for testing certain
pattern-matching expressions for potential vulnerabilities
good sources of secure coding guidelines - ✅✅CERT, NIST 800, BSI, an
organization's internal coding guidelines
OS hardening - ✅✅the process of reducing the number of available avenues
through which our OS might be attacked
attack surface - ✅✅The total of the areas through which our operating system
might be attacked
6 main hardening categories - ✅✅1. Removing unnecessary software
