This CS0-003 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A SOC analyst is reviewing logs from a web server and sees the following request: GET /../../etc/passwd HTTP/1.1. Which type of web attack is this?
SQL injection
Why wrong: No SQL syntax present.
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF)
Why wrong: No indication of forged request.
Directory traversal
The ../ sequence is used to navigate directories.
Cross-site scripting (XSS)
Why wrong: No script or HTML tags.
Answer choices
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 request GET /../../etc/passwd HTTP/1.1 uses '../' sequences to traverse directories outside the web root, attempting to read the /etc/passwd file. This is the classic signature of a directory traversal (path traversal) attack, which exploits insufficient input validation to access unauthorized files on the server.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
SQL injection
Why it's wrong here
No SQL syntax present.
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF)
Why it's wrong here
No indication of forged request.
Directory traversal
Why this is correct
The ../ sequence is used to navigate directories.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Cross-site scripting (XSS)
Why it's wrong here
No script or HTML tags.
Common exam traps
CompTIA often tests the distinction between directory traversal and file inclusion; the trap here is confusing the '../' path manipulation with SQL injection or XSS because the request looks like a simple GET, but the attack vector is purely about file system access, not database or script injection.
Detailed technical explanation
Directory traversal exploits the lack of input sanitization for file path parameters; the server's web root (e.g., /var/www/html) is bypassed by using '../' to ascend to parent directories. In Unix-like systems, /etc/passwd is a common target because it contains user account information, though modern systems often shadow passwords in /etc/shadow. Real-world attacks may use URL encoding (e.g., %2e%2e%2f) to evade simple filters.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A developer is choosing between AES-256 (symmetric) and RSA-2048 (asymmetric) for encrypting a large file that will be sent to a partner. Symmetric encryption is fast but requires key exchange; asymmetric is slower but solves the key distribution problem. A hybrid approach — encrypt the file with AES, encrypt the AES key with RSA — is standard. Questions like this test whether you understand when each approach applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Directory traversal — The request GET /../../etc/passwd HTTP/1.1 uses '../' sequences to traverse directories outside the web root, attempting to read the /etc/passwd file. This is the classic signature of a directory traversal (path traversal) attack, which exploits insufficient input validation to access unauthorized files on the server.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This CS0-003 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 CS0-003 exam.
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