200-901 Application Deployment and Security Practice Question
A developer writes a web application that accepts user input and displays it on a page. To prevent cross-site scripting (XSS), what is the most effective defense?
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
✓
Implement output encoding when rendering user input in HTML.
Output encoding converts special characters (e.g., < >) to HTML entities, so the browser does not interpret them as code. Input validation alone is insufficient for XSS.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Implement output encoding when rendering user input in HTML.
Why this is correct
Output encoding neutralizes script injection.
- ✗
Use parameterized queries for all database access.
Why it's wrong here
Parameterized queries prevent SQL injection, not XSS.
- ✗
Store user input in a secure cookie.
Why it's wrong here
Cookies don't prevent XSS.
- ✗
Disable JavaScript in the browser.
Why it's wrong here
Cannot control client-side settings.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-901 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-901 exam.