Top 30 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) only focused on the Fundamentals of API Security in Web Application Security covering below topics,along with their answers and explanations.
- Securing RESTful APIs.
- Authentication and authorization for APIs.
- Common API security threats.
PRACTICE IT NOW TO SHARPEN YOUR CONCEPT AND KNOWLEDGE
1. In the context of RESTful API security, what is the purpose of rate limiting?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By restricting the number of requests from a single client within a specified time period
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Rate limiting restricts the number of requests from a single client within a specified time period, mitigating abuse.
2. How can the use of API tokens enhance the security of RESTful APIs?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By providing a secure and revocable method for authentication
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
API tokens provide a secure and revocable method for authentication in RESTful APIs.
3. What is the role of CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) in the security of RESTful APIs?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By controlling which domains can access API resources from the client side
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
CORS controls which domains can access API resources from the client side, preventing unauthorized access.
4. What is the purpose of OAuth 2.0 in the context of API security?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By providing a framework for secure authorization and access delegation
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
OAuth 2.0 provides a framework for secure authorization and access delegation in API security.
5. How does API key authentication work in securing access to APIs?
- By improving API aesthetics
- By enhancing server performance
- By requiring clients to include a unique key in their API requests
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
API key authentication requires clients to include a unique key in their API requests for access control.
6. What is the purpose of JSON Web Tokens (JWT) in API authentication?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By providing a compact and self-contained way to transmit information securely
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
JWT provides a compact and self-contained way to transmit information securely in API authentication.
7. In the context of API authorization, what is the role of scopes?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By defining specific permissions or actions that a client can perform
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Scopes in API authorization define specific permissions or actions that a client can perform.
8. How does the use of HMAC (Hash-Based Message Authentication Code) contribute to API security?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By adding a secure signature to API requests for authentication and integrity
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
HMAC adds a secure signature to API requests for authentication and integrity in API security.
9. What is the potential risk of SQL injection in the context of API security?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By allowing attackers to execute arbitrary SQL queries through API inputs
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
SQL injection in API security allows attackers to execute arbitrary SQL queries through API inputs.
10. How can parameter tampering pose a threat to API security?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By manipulating input parameters to unauthorized values for malicious purposes
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Parameter tampering in API security involves manipulating input parameters to unauthorized values for malicious purposes.
11. What is the risk associated with insufficient data validation in API inputs?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By allowing injection attacks and compromising data integrity
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Insufficient data validation in API inputs allows injection attacks and compromises data integrity.
12. How does the lack of proper rate limiting contribute to API security risks?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By enabling abuse and potential denial-of-service attacks on the API
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
The lack of proper rate limiting in API security enables abuse and potential denial-of-service attacks on the API.
13. What is the potential danger of insufficient logging and monitoring in API security?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By hindering the detection of security incidents and attacks
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Insufficient logging and monitoring hinder the detection of security incidents and attacks in API security.
14. How can the lack of proper error handling contribute to API security vulnerabilities?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By revealing sensitive information and aiding attackers in identifying vulnerabilities
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
The lack of proper error handling in API security can reveal sensitive information and aid attackers in identifying vulnerabilities.
15. What is the potential risk of insecure direct object references (IDOR) in API security?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By allowing unauthorized access to sensitive data through manipulated references
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Insecure direct object references (IDOR) in API security can allow unauthorized access to sensitive data through manipulated references.
16. How can insufficient authentication and session management pose a threat to API security?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By allowing unauthorized access to API resources and compromising user sessions
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Insufficient authentication and session management in API security can allow unauthorized access and compromise user sessions.
17. What is the risk of not validating and sanitizing user inputs in API requests?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By allowing injection attacks and compromising the integrity of API data
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Not validating and sanitizing user inputs in API requests allows injection attacks and compromises the integrity of API data.
18. How can broken authentication and improper session handling impact API security?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By allowing unauthorized access to API resources and compromising user sessions
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Broken authentication and improper session handling in API security can allow unauthorized access and compromise user sessions.
19. What is the purpose of input validation in the context of securing RESTful APIs?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Preventing injection attacks and ensuring data integrity
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Input validation in RESTful APIs prevents injection attacks and ensures data integrity.
20. How does the use of API versioning contribute to API security?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By providing a way to introduce changes without breaking existing clients
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
API versioning allows changes without breaking existing clients, contributing to API security.
21. In the context of RESTful API security, what is the purpose of content type validation?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Ensuring that requests and responses adhere to expected content types
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Content type validation ensures that requests and responses adhere to expected content types in RESTful API security.
22. How does the use of API keys enhance the security of RESTful APIs?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By providing a secure and revocable method for authentication
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
API keys provide a secure and revocable method for authentication in RESTful APIs.
23. What is the role of API documentation in securing RESTful APIs?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By providing clear guidelines on proper API usage and security practices
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
API documentation provides clear guidelines on proper API usage and security practices.
24. How does OAuth 2.0 contribute to the security of API authentication?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By providing a framework for secure authorization and access delegation
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
OAuth 2.0 provides a framework for secure authorization and access delegation in API authentication.
25. What is the purpose of API key authentication in securing access to APIs?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By requiring clients to include a unique key in their API requests
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
API key authentication requires clients to include a unique key in their API requests for access control.
26. How can a JSON Web Token (JWT) be used in API authorization?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By providing a compact and self-contained way to transmit authorization information
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
JWT provides a compact and self-contained way to transmit authorization information in API security.
27. In the context of API authorization, what is the role of granular permissions?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By defining specific, fine-grained actions that a client can perform
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Granular permissions in API authorization define specific, fine-grained actions that a client can perform.
28. How does the use of HMAC (Hash-Based Message Authentication Code) contribute to API security?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By adding a secure signature to API requests for authentication and integrity
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
HMAC adds a secure signature to API requests for authentication and integrity in API security.
29. What is the potential risk of insufficient input validation in API security?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Allowing injection attacks and compromising data integrity
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Insufficient input validation in API security allows injection attacks and compromises data integrity.
30. How can the lack of proper authentication contribute to API security vulnerabilities?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By allowing unauthorized access to API resources and data
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
The lack of proper authentication can allow unauthorized access to API resources and data.
31. What is the potential danger of inadequate logging and monitoring in API security?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Hindering the detection of security incidents and attacks
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Inadequate logging and monitoring hinder the detection of security incidents and attacks in API security.
32. How can insufficient error handling contribute to API security vulnerabilities?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- By revealing sensitive information and aiding attackers in identifying vulnerabilities
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Insufficient error handling can reveal sensitive information and aid attackers in identifying vulnerabilities in API security.
33. What is the potential risk of insecure direct object references (IDOR) in API security?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Allowing unauthorized access to sensitive data through manipulated references
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Insecure direct object references (IDOR) can allow unauthorized access to sensitive data through manipulated references in API security.
34. What is the primary purpose of implementing HTTPS in the context of securing RESTful APIs?
- Improving API aesthetics
- Enhancing server performance
- Encrypting communication between clients and the API server
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Implementing HTTPS encrypts communication between clients and the API server, enhancing security.
35. How does input validation contribute to the security of RESTful APIs?
- By improving API aesthetics
- By enhancing server performance
- By preventing injection attacks and ensuring data integrity
- Granting unrestricted access to all users
Input validation in RESTful APIs prevents injection attacks and ensures data integrity.
