CarlsCloud™ Start small with a "Spot the Flaw" Challenge : Pop Quiz

A small e-commerce company recently added a new "customer feedback" feature on its website. Here's a snippet of the relevant code:

10 months ago   •   1 min read

By Carl Ballenger, CISSP
CarlsCloud™ Start small with a "Spot the Flaw" Challenge : CISSP Domain 6 Pop Quiz
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CarlsCloud™ Spot the Flaw

Think you know security software development security? In CISSP Domain 8: Software Development and Security, it's not just about the tools and techniques; it's about having that eagle eye for vulnerabilities that others might miss.

Let's get that analytical brain working with a CarlsCloud™ "Spot the Flaw" challenge!

The Scenario

A small e-commerce company recently added a new "customer feedback" feature on its website. Here's a snippet of the relevant code:

CarlsCloud™ Spot the Flaw

Your Challenge

Put on your CISSP analysis hat and examine the code carefully. Answer these questions:

  1. What potential vulnerabilities or weaknesses do you spot in this code snippet? (List as many as you can)
  2. How might an attacker exploit these flaws? (Be specific)
  3. What changes would you suggest to harden this code and improve its security?

It's Not Just About Finding the Flaws

In the real world, spotting a vulnerability is just the start. A true CISSP professional also understands the potential impact and ways to fix things.

In your answers, think about:

  • Risk levels: How severe are the vulnerabilities you found?
  • Attacker strategies: How could they chain these flaws together?
  • Remediation: Are the fixes simple or more complex?

Bonus Points:

  • Do these flaws fall under any common vulnerability types (think OWASP Top 10)?

Hands-on analysis like this keeps those analytical skills sharp!

Remember, real-world code won't always have glaring neon signs pointing out the issues. Careful eyes and an understanding of secure coding practices are your most powerful testing tools.

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