CSRF vs XSS: Difference Between Cross-Site Request Forgery and Cross-Site Scripting

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Questions and Answers

What is the main difference between CSRF and XSS?

CSRF occurs when a user is logged in and visits a malicious website, while XSS involves attackers entering specially crafted input. (correct)

XSS involves executing malicious code on the user's browser, while CSRF manipulates input to execute unintended queries.

CSRF manipulates input data to execute queries, while XSS sends unwanted requests to authenticated websites.

XSS happens when the user opens multiple tabs, while CSRF requires the user to fully log out of websites.

How can CSRF be mitigated according to the text?

Expiring session variables as quickly as possible (correct)

Reauthenticating users for requests using one-time passwords

Sanitising user inputs and encoding them for HTML display

Allowing multiple tabs open during sensitive transactions

Which statement best describes SQL injection?

Sending unwanted requests to authenticated websites

Executing malicious code on the user's browser

Attackers manipulate input data to execute queries other than intended (correct)

Attackers enter specially crafted input to execute malicious actions

How can XSS be mitigated based on the information provided?

Sanitise user inputs and encode them for HTML display Signup and view all the answers

Which type of firewall is less scalable compared to hardware firewalls?

Software firewalls Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the advantages of software firewalls mentioned in the text?

Cheap to deploy Signup and view all the answers

What is the main benefit of hybrid firewalls mentioned in the text?

Strength of both hardware and software firewalls Signup and view all the answers

Why is logging important for security teams according to the text?

To keep records for security incidents detection Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of port scanning in ethical hacking as per the text?

To identify potential openings for attackers Signup and view all the answers

How does DNS work in resolving domain names to IP addresses based on the text?

By sending requests between DNS servers until an IP address is found Signup and view all the answers

Match the following security threats with their respective mitigation techniques:

CSRF = Reauthenticate users with one-time passwords or challenge tokens XSS = Sanitise user inputs and use encoding functions SQL Injection = Sanitise user input and limit database access Signup and view all the answers

Match the following security measures with the threats they aim to prevent:

Expire session variables quickly = CSRF Use functions to encode user input = XSS Disallow web apps from accessing DB admin account = SQL Injection Avoid opening multiple tabs when performing sensitive transactions = CSRF Signup and view all the answers

Match the following attack scenarios with their corresponding outcomes:

Open a malicious website after successful login = CSRF Execute a specially crafted input on a website = XSS Manipulate input data to execute unintended queries = SQL Injection Send unwanted requests to an authenticated website = CSRF Signup and view all the answers

Match the following strategies with the security threats they help mitigate:

Fully log out of websites = CSRF Sanitise user inputs = XSS Limit database access for web apps = SQL Injection Send challenge tokens for reauthentication = CSRF Signup and view all the answers

Match the following types of logs with their respective descriptions:

DNS logs = Logs DNS queries and responses including domain names, IP addresses, query types Firewall logs = Documents firewall activities including blocked traffic, intrusion attempts, and rule matches File access logs = Records file and directory access activities including file opens, modifications, and deletions Port scanning logs = Tracks information related to port scanning activities on a network Signup and view all the answers

Match the following firewall types with their respective advantages and disadvantages:

Software firewalls = Advantage: Cheap to deploy; Disadvantage: Less scalable compared to hardware firewalls Hardware firewalls = Advantage: More scalable than software firewalls; Disadvantage: Can be expensive Hybrid firewalls = Benefits from both hardware and software firewalls strengths; May still be as expensive or even more expensive compared to hardware and software firewalls NAT devices = Method used to translate private IP addresses into public IP addresses for internet access Signup and view all the answers

Match the following network security concepts with their corresponding descriptions:

Logging = Important to keep records of system or network activities to detect and investigate security incidents Port scanning = Used in ethical hacking to scan for open ports on a network for vulnerability assessment TCP and UDP = Used to provide communication between the computer conducting port scanning and the target computer being scanned DNS resolution = Service used to resolve domain names provided by clients into corresponding IP addresses for website access Signup and view all the answers

Match the following security terms with their correct definitions:

DNS SEC = Works by domain owners signing their DNS records with cryptographic keys and publishing these keys for secure DNS resolution CSRF = Cross-Site Request Forgery - an attack that tricks a user into executing unwanted actions on a web application in which they are authenticated XSS = Cross-Site Scripting - an attack that injects malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users SQL injection = An attack that inserts malicious SQL code into input fields of a web application to manipulate the database Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

security threats and mitigation techniques

CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) is an attack where a user is tricked into performing an unintended action on a web application they are authenticated to
The main difference between CSRF and XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) is that CSRF attacks exploit the user's authenticated state, while XSS attacks inject malicious scripts into a website

CSRF mitigation techniques

Validate requests to ensure they come from the user and not an attacker
Use CSRF tokens to verify the authenticity of requests
Use the Same-Origin Policy to restrict access to resources

SQL injection

SQL injection is a type of attack where an attacker inserts malicious SQL code to access or modify sensitive data

XSS mitigation techniques

Validate and sanitize user input to prevent malicious scripts
Use output encoding to ensure user input is not executed by the browser
Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) to define allowed sources of content

Firewalls

Types of firewalls

Hardware firewalls are more scalable than software firewalls
Software firewalls are more flexible and can be customized
Hybrid firewalls combine the benefits of hardware and software firewalls
Advantages of software firewalls include flexibility and customization options
Hybrid firewalls provide both scalability and flexibility

Logging

Logging is important for security teams to identify and respond to security incidents
Logging helps track user activity, system events, and security alerts

Port scanning

Port scanning is a technique used in ethical hacking to identify open ports and services running on a network

DNS

DNS (Domain Name System) resolves domain names to IP addresses through a hierarchical system of servers
DNS works by recursively querying DNS servers until the IP address is resolved

Matching exercises

CSRF: Validate requests, use CSRF tokens, and Same-Origin Policy
XSS: Validate and sanitize user input, use output encoding, and implement CSP
SQL injection: Validate user input, use parameterized queries, and limit database privileges
Firewall types: Hardware (scalable), software (flexible), hybrid (scalability and flexibility)
Log types: System logs, application logs, security logs
Network security concepts: Firewall, IDS, IPS, DNS, IP addresses
Security terms: CSRF, XSS, SQL injection, Firewall, IDS, IPS

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Description

Learn to differentiate between Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks. Understand how XSS involves injecting malicious scripts that execute on a user's browser, while CSRF exploits the trust users have in a website to perform unauthorized actions.

CSRF vs XSS: Understanding the Difference

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