Secure Application Design and Architecture CASEJAVA Practice Questions (Page 4)

Questions 16–20

1. 16expert · hard

   A Java application stores personally identifiable information (PII) in a relational database. The design must comply with a regulation that requires data to be encrypted at rest. The team is considering two options: column-level encryption for the PII columns or transparent data encryption (TDE) for the entire database. Which of the following is the most important trade-off to consider?

   • AColumn-level encryption allows fine-grained access control and selective encryption, but may impact query performance and searchability.
   • BTDE is not compliant because it does not encrypt data in memory.
   • CColumn-level encryption is not secure because it only encrypts specific columns.
   • DTDE is always better because it encrypts the entire database with no performance impact.
   Reveal Solution Discussion Select an answer first
2. 17expert · hard

   A security architect is leading a threat modeling exercise for a Java application that allows users to upload files. The team uses DREAD for prioritization. They identify a threat where an attacker uploads a malicious file that is later executed on the server. The damage potential is high, reproducibility is high, exploitability is medium, affected users are all users, and discoverability is high. Which of the following actions should the architect take first?

   • AAdd a CAPTCHA to the upload form to reduce automated attacks.
   • BConduct a design review to look for other vulnerabilities before addressing this one.
   • CDefer the threat because the exploitability is only medium.
   • DImplement file type validation and store uploaded files outside the web root with no execution permissions.
   Reveal Solution Discussion Select an answer first
4. 18application · medium

   A team is using DREAD to prioritize threats for a Java application. They have two threats: Threat A has a high damage potential and high likelihood; Threat B has low damage potential and low likelihood. Which threat should be addressed first?

   • ABoth threats simultaneously, regardless of scores.
   • BThreat B, because it is easier to fix.
   • CNeither threat, because DREAD is not a valid methodology.
   • DThreat A, because it has a higher overall risk score.
   Reveal Solution Discussion Select an answer first
5. 19expert · hard

   A Java application integrates with a third-party identity provider (IdP) using SAML 2.0. The application receives SAML assertions containing user attributes, including role information. The security team is concerned about assertion tampering. Which design control is most effective in mitigating this threat?

   • ATrust the SAML assertion because it comes from a trusted IdP.
   • BValidate the SAML assertion signature and verify the issuer and audience on every request.
   • CStore the SAML assertion in a cookie for later use.
   • DUse a shared secret between the application and IdP to encrypt the assertion.
   Reveal Solution Discussion Select an answer first
6. 20expert · hard

   A Java web application uses role-based access control (RBAC) but needs to support a new requirement where users can share documents with specific individuals. The current RBAC model only supports roles. Which design approach best meets the requirement while maintaining security?

   • AImplement attribute-based access control (ABAC) to evaluate user attributes and resource ownership for sharing decisions.
   • BUse a shared password for document access.
   • CAllow any authenticated user to access any document within the same role.
   • DCreate a new role for each document and assign users to that role.
   Reveal Solution Discussion Select an answer first