CPP Security & Error Handling 2

Question 1

What is the purpose of using checked vs unchecked exceptions in Java?

Accepted Answer

Checked exceptions must be declared or caught, representing recoverable conditions; unchecked exceptions represent programming errors

Answer

Checked exceptions (e.g., IOException) signal conditions callers should handle; unchecked (RuntimeException) signal bugs that should be fixed.

Question 2

What is a buffer overflow vulnerability?

Accepted Answer

Writing more data into a buffer than it can hold, overwriting adjacent memory and potentially allowing code execution

Answer

Buffer overflows in C/C++ allow attackers to overwrite return addresses or function pointers, leading to arbitrary code execution.

Question 3

What is exception chaining (wrapping)?

Accepted Answer

Catching an exception and re-throwing it wrapped in a new exception to preserve the original cause

Answer

Exception chaining preserves the root cause by embedding the original exception as the 'cause' of a new higher-level exception.

Question 4

What is the difference between authentication and authorization?

Accepted Answer

Authentication verifies who you are; authorization determines what you are allowed to do

Answer

Authentication confirms identity (login with credentials); authorization checks permissions (can this user access this resource?).

Question 5

What is a cryptographic hash function used for in software security?

Accepted Answer

Generating a fixed-size digest of data that cannot be reversed, used for integrity checking and password storage

Answer

Cryptographic hash functions like SHA-256 produce irreversible digests, making them suitable for password hashing and data integrity verification.

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