200-901 Cisco Platforms and Development Practice Question
A developer is building a Python application that must authenticate to Cisco Webex APIs on behalf of a service account. The application will run unattended and must not require interactive user login. The developer has already registered an integration in the Webex Developer Portal and obtained the client ID and client secret. Which OAuth 2.0 grant type should the application use?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that any OAuth 2.0 grant type can work for an unattended service, when only the Client Credentials grant avoids interactive user login.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Client Credentials grant
For an unattended service account that must call Webex APIs without any user interaction, the Client Credentials grant is the correct OAuth 2.0 flow. It uses the client ID and client secret directly to obtain an access token, eliminating the need for a browser redirect or user credentials. This is the standard approach for machine-to-machine integrations.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Implicit grant
Why it's wrong here
The Implicit grant is designed for browser-based applications where the access token is returned directly in the URL fragment. It also requires a user to authenticate interactively and does not provide a refresh token, making it unsuitable for an unattended service account that must run without any user present.
- ✗
Authorization Code grant
Why it's wrong here
The Authorization Code grant requires an interactive user login through a browser redirect, which is impossible for an unattended service account. Although it can be combined with a refresh token for long-term access, the initial authorization cannot occur without a user present, so it fails the requirement of no interactive login in this scenario.
- ✗
Resource Owner Password Credentials grant
Why it's wrong here
The Resource Owner Password Credentials grant requires the application to collect and store the user's actual username and password, which is a poor security practice and not supported by Webex for service accounts. It also contradicts the goal of avoiding user credentials in an unattended application.
- ✓
Client Credentials grant
Why this is correct
The Client Credentials grant allows an application to authenticate using only its client ID and client secret, without any user interaction. This is exactly the scenario described: an unattended service account that needs to call Webex APIs programmatically. It is the standard OAuth 2.0 mechanism for machine-to-machine authentication.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
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