easyMultiple Choice
CAS-004 Practice Question: Based on the exhibit, which vulnerability is…
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. 192.168.1.10 - - [27/Feb/2025:10:30:15 +0000] "GET /../../../etc/passwd HTTP/1.1" 200 2345
Based on the exhibit, which vulnerability is being exploited?
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
✓
Directory traversal
The GET request in the exhibit uses '../' sequences to traverse directories and access the /etc/passwd file, which is characteristic of a directory traversal attack. Option A (CSRF) is wrong because CSRF attacks rely on exploiting a user's authenticated session to perform unintended actions, not directory path manipulation. Option B (SQL injection) is wrong because there is no SQL syntax or database query involved. Option D (XSS) is wrong because no scripts or client-side code execution is present.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF)
Why it's wrong here
CSRF tricks an authenticated browser into submitting a forged state-changing request to a trusted site, exploiting ambient session cookies. The exhibit would need to show a crafted request from another origin succeeding without the victim's intent. CSRF applies when the vulnerability is unauthorised action, not script injection into a page.
- ✗
SQL injection
Why it's wrong here
The exhibit shows malformed input reflected in application output, indicating cross-site scripting rather than SQL injection, which requires database query manipulation through unsanitised input reaching a SQL interpreter. SQL injection is tempting because both flaws stem from unvalidated user input, and it would be correct where input concatenates into database queries.
- ✓
Directory traversal
Why this is correct
Directory traversal exploits insufficient path validation, letting an attacker supply sequences like ../ to escape the intended web root and read arbitrary files. The exhibit shows a manipulated file-path parameter returning files outside the web directory, confirming traversal rather than injection or misconfiguration.
- ✗
Cross-site scripting (XSS)
Why it's wrong here
XSS involves injecting scripts, not file paths.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
This CAS-005 question is part of Courseiva's 973-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CAS-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 CAS-005 exam.