SDSI Application Security Design Practice Question
You are designing an API security layer for a public-facing web application. Which security control is most effective against 'Broken Function Level Authorization' (BFLA) attacks?
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
✓
Strict RBAC/ABAC authorization checks on every function
BFLA occurs when a user accesses functions they shouldn't. Proper authorization logic must be enforced at every API endpoint.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Rate limiting
Why it's wrong here
Rate limiting protects against DoS, not authorization flaws.
- ✗
Blocking traffic from known malicious IP addresses
Why it's wrong here
IP blocking is insufficient against authenticated users performing BFLA.
- ✓
Strict RBAC/ABAC authorization checks on every function
Why this is correct
Enforcing access control at the function level is the direct fix for BFLA.
- ✗
Encrypting all traffic with TLS 1.3
Why it's wrong here
Encryption protects data in transit, not access control logic.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
This SDSI 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 SDSI exam.