Software Security: Principles and Practices for Secure Software Development

Question 1

What is a key practice for building secure software?

Accepted Answer

Validating input to prevent unauthorized data handling

Answer

Storing user passwords as plain text for easy access

Answer

Ignoring security issues in external libraries

Answer

Using hard-coded encryption keys

Question 2

What is a key principle of secure coding?

Accepted Answer

Treat all user input as potentially harmful and check it before use.

Answer

Using the latest compiler version guarantees security.

Answer

Open-source libraries are always more secure.

Answer

Never use third-party code to maximize security.

Question 3

When coding securely, which practice is most effective in protecting against vulnerabilities?

Accepted Answer

Validating all user input thoroughly

Answer

Using hard-coded passwords

Answer

Storing sensitive data in plaintext

Answer

Including untrustworthy third-party libraries

Question 4

Which of the following is a recommended principle of secure coding?

Accepted Answer

Input validation and sanitization

Answer

Ignoring known security vulnerabilities

Answer

Using weak encryption algorithms

Answer

Avoiding code reviews

Question 5

Which of the following secure coding techniques is most effective in preventing SQL injection attacks?

Accepted Answer

Use parameterized queries

Answer

Validate user input for correct data types

Answer

Use dynamic SQL statements to construct queries

Answer

Escape special characters in user input

Question 6

What is the overarching objective of vulnerability management?

Accepted Answer

Proactively identify, assess, and remediate software vulnerabilities

Answer

Develop secure software applications from scratch

Answer

Educate users on software security best practices

Answer

Test software for security flaws and vulnerabilities

Question 7

Which type of vulnerability allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code on a system?

Accepted Answer

Buffer overflow

Answer

Cross-site scripting

Answer

SQL injection

Question 8

What is the primary function of a fuzz testing tool?

Accepted Answer

Discover vulnerabilities by supplying invalid or unexpected inputs

Answer

Generate test cases for black-box testing

Answer

Analyze source code for security flaws

Question 9

Which of the following is considered a best practice for secure software development?

Accepted Answer

Use open source security libraries with established track records

Answer

Re-use insecure code from third parties without proper review

Answer

Ignore security updates and patches for software components

Answer

Neglect security testing in the development process

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of a social engineering attack?

Accepted Answer

Phishing

Answer

Buffer overflow

Answer

SQL injection

Answer

Cross-site scripting

Question 11

What is the primary purpose of a firewall in software security?

Accepted Answer

Control and monitor network traffic to and from a system

Answer

Prevent malware infections

Answer

Encrypt sensitive data

Answer

Detect and block malicious activities

Question 12

Which of the following security design principles focuses on minimizing the attack surface?

Accepted Answer

Least privilege

Answer

Separation of duties

Answer

Defense in depth

Answer

Fail-safe design

Question 13

What is the primary objective of code reviews in software security?

Accepted Answer

Identify and fix security flaws in code

Answer

Document software requirements and design

Answer

Test software for performance and functionality

Answer

Manage software development projects

Question 14

Which ethical principle in software security prioritizes preventing actions that could harm users?

Accepted Answer

Non-maleficence

Answer

Beneficence

Answer

Autonomy

Answer

Justice

Question 15

Which of the following is a recommended practice in secure coding?

Accepted Answer

Input validation

Answer

Using hard-coded credentials

Answer

Disabling error messages

Question 16

What is the primary goal of vulnerability management?

Accepted Answer

To identify and address vulnerabilities in software.

Answer

To improve software performance

Answer

To develop new software features

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of a software vulnerability?

Accepted Answer

Buffer overflow

Answer

Network outage

Answer

Hardware malfunction

Answer

Human error

Question 18

How do vulnerabilities differ from exploits?

Accepted Answer

Vulnerabilities are weaknesses in software, while exploits are malicious code that leverages these vulnerabilities.

Answer

Exploits are a type of vulnerability, and vulnerabilities are a type of exploit.

Question 19

Which tool is commonly used for static code analysis?

Accepted Answer

SonarQube

Answer

Burp Suite

Answer

Nmap

Question 20

What is the purpose of penetration testing?

Accepted Answer

To simulate attacks and uncover vulnerabilities in software

Answer

To debug and fix software code

Answer

To enhance software performance

Question 21

Which of the following is considered a best practice in secure software development?

Accepted Answer

Following a secure development lifecycle (SDL)

Answer

Skipping code reviews

Answer

Ignoring security updates

Answer

Releasing code rapidly without thorough testing

Question 22

What is the main purpose of a software patch?

Accepted Answer

To fix security vulnerabilities in software

Answer

To modify a software's user interface

Answer

To add new features to software

Answer

To enhance software's performance

Question 23

Which of the following is a common type of software threat?

Accepted Answer

Malware

Answer

User error

Answer

Power outage

Answer

Hardware failure

Question 24

Why is software security crucial?

Accepted Answer

To safeguard systems against unauthorized access, data breaches, and cyberattacks

Answer

To enhance software performance

Answer

To improve user experience