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Question 241.

A development team is designing a feature that allows users to export sensitive reports. Which control is MOST important?

1. Use longer filenames
2. Verify authorization at the time of export and protect the generated file appropriately
3. Allow every authenticated user to export all reports
4. Store exported files permanently in a public directory

Correct Answer: 2. Verify authorization at the time of export and protect the generated file appropriately

Explanation:

Export functions can create new copies of sensitive data outside the normal application interface. The server should verify that the requester is authorized to access the selected data at the time of export. Generated files should be stored temporarily in protected locations, given appropriate retention, and delivered securely. Export capability should also be logged when the sensitivity or business risk warrants it.

Question 242.

Which design BEST reduces the security risk of shared application service accounts?

1. Use a distinct service identity for each application or workload where practical
2. Reuse one highly privileged account across all applications
3. Disable logging for service accounts
4. Store the shared password in source code

Correct Answer: 1. Use a distinct service identity for each application or workload where practical

Explanation:

Distinct service identities support least privilege, accountability, and independent credential rotation. If one application is compromised, its permissions can be limited without automatically exposing unrelated systems. Shared high-privilege accounts create a larger blast radius and make it harder to determine which service performed an action. Workload identities or managed identities can further reduce dependence on long-lived static credentials.

Question 243.

A web application accepts a user-supplied regular expression that is evaluated on the server. Which risk should the team consider MOST carefully?

1. SQL injection only
2. Password reuse
3. Resource exhaustion caused by pathological regular-expression processing
4. Certificate expiration

Correct Answer: 3. Resource exhaustion caused by pathological regular-expression processing

Explanation:

Certain regular expressions can require excessive CPU time when matched against crafted input, potentially causing denial of service. Applications should avoid executing arbitrary user-controlled patterns where possible, constrain expression complexity, apply timeouts, and use safer engines or predefined patterns. Resource limits and monitoring provide additional defense against deliberately expensive input.

Question 244.

A secure application is about to process a request containing an expired authorization token. What should it do?

1. Accept the token if the user was previously trusted
2. Extend the expiration automatically
3. Ignore token lifetime when the system is busy
4. Reject the token and require valid authorization**

Correct Answer: 4. Reject the token and require valid authorization

Explanation:

Token expiration limits the period during which a stolen credential can be reused. Once a token is expired, the application should not silently extend or accept it unless an explicitly designed refresh process establishes continued authorization. Expiration checks should be enforced consistently on the trusted server side. High-risk operations may also require additional reauthentication even when a token remains valid.

Question 245.

Which practice BEST supports the principle of least common mechanism?

1. Minimize unnecessary sharing of mechanisms and resources between users or security domains
2. Route all users through one shared administrator account
3. Use one unrestricted temporary directory for every application
4. Share encryption keys between unrelated systems

Correct Answer: 1. Minimize unnecessary sharing of mechanisms and resources between users or security domains

Explanation:

Least common mechanism reduces the amount of shared functionality or resources that could become a channel for interference or compromise between users or components. Shared mechanisms can create hidden dependencies and broaden the impact of a flaw. Isolation, dedicated identities, and separate resources can therefore strengthen security when the additional separation is justified by risk.

Question 246.

A software team needs to protect sensitive data while it is transmitted between two backend services. Which control is MOST appropriate?

1. Compress the data
2. Use authenticated encrypted transport with appropriate certificate or identity validation
3. Rename the services
4. Store the data in temporary files during transfer

Correct Answer: 2. Use authenticated encrypted transport with appropriate certificate or identity validation

Explanation:

Encryption in transit protects confidentiality, while endpoint authentication helps ensure that each service is communicating with the expected peer. Properly configured TLS or another approved authenticated transport can provide these protections. Certificate, hostname, or workload-identity validation must be performed correctly. Encryption does not replace application-level authorization or message validation.

Question 247.

A development team discovers that an API returns internal database identifiers and fields that clients do not need. Which improvement is BEST?

1. Increase API response size further
2. Disable API logging
3. Return only the fields required by the client and avoid unnecessary internal details
4. Give clients direct database access

Correct Answer: 3. Return only the fields required by the client and avoid unnecessary internal details

Explanation:

Minimizing returned data reduces information exposure and limits the impact of authorization or logging mistakes. APIs should expose only fields needed for the intended use case rather than mirroring internal database structures. This also creates a clearer interface boundary and reduces coupling between external consumers and internal implementation details.

Question 248.

A secure software team finds that a deployment script contains a production administrator password. What should it do?

1. Obfuscate the password by reversing the text
2. Move the script to a different folder
3. Rename the password variable
4. Remove the password, rotate it, and obtain credentials through an approved secret-management mechanism**

Correct Answer: 4. Remove the password, rotate it, and obtain credentials through an approved secret-management mechanism

Explanation:

A password embedded in a deployment script should be treated as potentially exposed because scripts may be copied, logged, backed up, or committed to repositories. The credential should be rotated, removed from the script, and retrieved through a controlled secret-management or workload-identity mechanism. Access should be scoped to the deployment function and audited.

Question 249.

A product owner asks how to ensure security requirements are not lost when user stories change. Which practice is BEST?

1. Maintain traceability between security requirements, stories, controls, and tests
2. Keep security requirements only in developer memory
3. Remove security criteria when schedules become tight
4. Test security only at the end of the project

Correct Answer: 1. Maintain traceability between security requirements, stories, controls, and tests

Explanation:

Traceability makes it possible to see how security objectives are implemented across changing requirements and backlog items. When functionality changes, linked controls and verification activities can be reassessed. This reduces the chance that important security obligations disappear during refinement or reprioritization. Traceability also supports audits and impact analysis.

Question 250.

A web application must permit users to change their email addresses. Which security measure is MOST appropriate for a high-value account?

1. Allow the change without authentication
2. Require current authentication and consider reauthentication or additional verification
3. Accept changes submitted only through client-side JavaScript
4. Disable audit logging for account changes

Correct Answer: 2. Require current authentication and consider reauthentication or additional verification

Explanation:

Changing a primary email address can affect account recovery and future authentication flows, so it should be treated as a sensitive operation. The application should verify the current session, consider step-up authentication, and notify the account through appropriate channels. Server-side authorization and logging should also be applied. Client-side controls alone are insufficient.

Question 251.

A secure development team wants to identify defects caused by unexpected sequences of valid business operations. Which activity is MOST useful?

1. Source-code formatting
2. Storage capacity planning
3. Business-logic abuse and misuse-case testing
4. Certificate renewal

Correct Answer: 3. Business-logic abuse and misuse-case testing

Explanation:

Business-logic vulnerabilities often arise when individually valid actions are combined in unintended ways. Examples include bypassing transaction limits, abusing coupon workflows, or repeating state changes out of order. Misuse-case and abuse testing focus on these scenarios and complement traditional vulnerability scanners, which may not understand application-specific business rules.

Question 252.

An application receives a cryptographic certificate from an unknown issuer during a sensitive connection. What should it do?

1. Trust the certificate automatically
2. Ignore certificate validation in production
3. Continue if the hostname appears correct
4. Reject the connection unless the certificate can be validated according to the approved trust policy**

Correct Answer: 4. Reject the connection unless the certificate can be validated according to the approved trust policy

Explanation:

Encrypted transport is not sufficient if the application cannot establish the identity of the remote endpoint. Certificate validation should verify the trust chain, hostname or intended identity, validity period, and other policy requirements. Accepting unknown or invalid certificates can enable man-in-the-middle attacks even though the connection itself is encrypted.

Question 253.

Which activity BEST supports authenticity of software released to customers?

1. Digitally sign the release using a protected publisher key
2. Compress the release
3. Change the filename periodically
4. Remove version information

Correct Answer: 1. Digitally sign the release using a protected publisher key

Explanation:

Digital signatures allow recipients to verify that software was released by the expected publisher and has not been modified after signing. The private signing key and signing process must be protected carefully because compromise could allow malicious software to appear legitimate. Signing should be combined with secure build and release controls.

Question 254.

A software team is designing a process for deleting customer data. Which approach is MOST appropriate?

1. Delete only the user-interface reference
2. Define retention and deletion requirements across primary stores, replicas, logs, and backups as applicable
3. Retain all data permanently
4. Allow developers to decide deletion behavior individually

Correct Answer: 2. Define retention and deletion requirements across primary stores, replicas, logs, and backups as applicable

Explanation:

Data deletion can involve more than one database record. Copies may exist in backups, caches, logs, analytics systems, replicas, and integrations. Requirements should define what must be deleted, what may be retained, and for how long, based on business, legal, privacy, and technical constraints. The implementation should provide evidence that the defined process is followed.

Question 255.

A security review finds that a service has permission to access every database table although it uses only two. Which principle is being violated?

1. Open design
2. Defense in depth
3. Least privilege
4. Nonrepudiation

Correct Answer: 3. Least privilege

Explanation:

A service should have access only to the database objects and operations required for its intended function. Excessive privileges increase the impact of software compromise or credential theft. Permissions should be reduced to the minimum needed and periodically reviewed as application behavior changes. Separate identities may be appropriate for services with different responsibilities.

Question 256.

A software update server is compromised, but customer devices verify update signatures independently. What security benefit does this provide?

1. The compromise becomes irrelevant
2. Devices can safely install unsigned updates
3. Availability is guaranteed
4. A compromised distribution channel alone cannot make an invalidly signed update appear authentic**

Correct Answer: 4. A compromised distribution channel alone cannot make an invalidly signed update appear authentic

Explanation:

Independent signature verification separates trust in the software publisher from trust in the distribution server. Even if attackers control the update channel, devices can reject packages that do not carry a valid signature from an authorized key. This provides defense in depth. The signing infrastructure and rollback protections must still be secured carefully.

Question 257.

Which practice BEST supports secure handling of third-party vulnerability reports?

1. Provide a defined reporting channel, triage process, remediation workflow, and coordinated disclosure procedure
2. Ignore reports from external researchers
3. Publish every report immediately without assessment
4. Delete reports after acknowledgment

Correct Answer: 1. Provide a defined reporting channel, triage process, remediation workflow, and coordinated disclosure procedure

Explanation:

A structured vulnerability disclosure process helps organizations receive, assess, prioritize, remediate, and communicate externally reported weaknesses. Clear reporting channels reduce friction for researchers, while coordinated disclosure can balance customer protection with transparency. Reports should be tracked like other security defects and handled according to severity, legal obligations, and organizational policy.

Question 258.

A development organization wants to reduce insecure use of low-level cryptographic APIs. Which approach is BEST?

1. Let every developer choose algorithms and modes independently
2. Provide approved high-level cryptographic libraries or services with safe defaults
3. Encourage custom encryption algorithms
4. Store cryptographic keys in application constants

Correct Answer: 2. Provide approved high-level cryptographic libraries or services with safe defaults

Explanation:

Low-level cryptographic APIs can be difficult to use correctly because developers must select algorithms, modes, padding, nonces, key handling, and other parameters. High-level vetted abstractions with safe defaults reduce the chance of misuse and make policy changes easier to apply consistently. Custom cryptography should generally be avoided.

Question 259.

A high-risk transaction requires both a user request and manager approval. What security objective is this MOST directly supporting?

1. Availability
2. Data compression
3. Separation of privilege
4. Usability

Correct Answer: 3. Separation of privilege

Explanation:

Separation of privilege requires multiple independent conditions or authorities before granting a sensitive action. Requiring both the initiating user and an authorized manager reduces dependence on a single compromised account and can limit fraud or misuse. The approvals should be independently authenticated, authorized, and auditable.

Question 260.

Which practice BEST demonstrates mature CSSLP-oriented software assurance?

1. Depend on one final penetration test
2. Assume secure coding standards alone are sufficient
3. Stop assurance activities after production release
4. Use layered assurance activities across requirements, design, implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance, and retirement**

Correct Answer: 4. Use layered assurance activities across requirements, design, implementation, testing, deployment, maintenance, and retirement

Explanation:

Software assurance is strongest when multiple complementary activities operate throughout the lifecycle. Requirements analysis, threat modeling, architecture review, secure coding, code review, automated testing, penetration testing, controlled release, vulnerability monitoring, and secure retirement each address different risks. No single technique provides complete assurance, so mature programs combine them under consistent governance and continuous improvement.