APCSP Cybersecurity 2

Question 1

A website uses HTTPS instead of HTTP. What does this primarily protect against?

Accepted Answer

Eavesdropping on data in transit

Answer

HTTPS encrypts data between the browser and server, preventing eavesdroppers from reading transmitted information.

Question 2

Which type of attack tricks a user into clicking a disguised link that performs an unintended action on a site where the user is authenticated?

Accepted Answer

Cross-site request forgery (CSRF)

Answer

CSRF exploits the trust a website has in a logged-in user's browser by forging authenticated requests.

Question 3

What is the purpose of a digital certificate in secure communications?

Accepted Answer

To verify the identity of a server or entity

Answer

Digital certificates bind a public key to an identity, allowing users to verify they are communicating with the intended server.

Question 4

A company stores passwords as plain text in its database. Why is this a critical security flaw?

Accepted Answer

A database breach exposes all passwords immediately

Answer

Plain text storage means any breach instantly reveals all user passwords, unlike hashed storage which requires additional cracking effort.

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the principle of 'defense in depth'?

Accepted Answer

Layering multiple security controls so one failure doesn't compromise the whole system

Answer

Defense in depth uses multiple overlapping layers of security so that if one layer fails, others still protect the system.

(APCSP) AP Computer Science Principles Practice Test