PHP Risk Assessment & Management 3

Question 1

A developer uses $pdo->query('SELECT * FROM users WHERE id=' . $_GET['id']). What is the primary risk?

Accepted Answer

SQL Injection

Answer

Concatenating unsanitized user input directly into an SQL query allows attackers to manipulate the query logic and access or modify data.

Question 2

Which PHP session setting prevents JavaScript from reading the session cookie, reducing XSS-based session theft risk?

Accepted Answer

session.cookie_httponly = 1

Answer

The HttpOnly flag instructs browsers to block JavaScript access to the cookie, limiting what an XSS payload can steal.

Question 3

When should session_regenerate_id(true) be called in a PHP application to mitigate session fixation?

Accepted Answer

Immediately after a successful login

Answer

Regenerating the session ID upon privilege escalation (login) invalidates any pre-authentication token an attacker may have planted.

Question 4

What risk does a PHP application face if it unserializes untrusted data from user input using unserialize()?

Accepted Answer

Object injection leading to arbitrary code execution

Answer

PHP's unserialize() can instantiate arbitrary classes and invoke magic methods, enabling attackers to chain gadgets into remote code execution.

Question 5

Which Content-Security-Policy directive most directly reduces the risk of reflected XSS by restricting inline script execution?

Accepted Answer

script-src 'self'

Answer

Setting script-src to 'self' (without 'unsafe-inline') blocks inline and externally hosted scripts not from the same origin, breaking most XSS payloads.

PHP - PHP Programming Language Practice Test

PHP - PHP Programming Language Practice Test

PHP Risk Assessment & Management 3