A customer portal has a form that submits a money-transfer request with the user’s existing session cookie. Security testing shows that if a user visits a malicious site while logged in, the portal will submit the transfer request without any additional verification. Which control would best reduce this risk?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
Distractor review
Replace the transfer form with a stored procedure
Stored procedures help reduce SQL injection risk, but they do not stop unwanted cross-site request submission.
Best answer
Add a server-validated anti-CSRF token to each state-changing request
An anti-CSRF token is the best control because it ties the request to the legitimate application session and makes it difficult for an attacker-controlled site to forge the request successfully. State-changing actions such as transfers should validate a unique token on the server side, ideally with other browser protections like SameSite cookies. This directly addresses cross-site request forgery.
Distractor review
Enable input length limits on the transfer amount field
Input length limits can improve validation, but they do not prevent an attacker from submitting a forged request from another site.
Distractor review
Turn on content security policy to block all script execution
Content security policy helps reduce some browser-based attacks such as XSS, but it does not reliably stop CSRF by itself.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A laptop is suspected of being used in a malware incident. It is still powered on and connected to Wi-Fi. What should the responder do before shutting it down?
Question 2
An employee reports a ransomware note on a file server. The server is still powered on, shares are still being accessed, and management wants service restored as quickly as possible. What should the incident response team do first?
Question 3
An employee reports a ransomware note on a finance laptop. The laptop is still powered on, connected to Wi-Fi, and the user says they were just working in a spreadsheet. Management wants the fastest safe response that also preserves evidence. What should the responder do first?
Question 4
You are handed a company laptop suspected in an insider theft case. Legal says the evidence may be needed in court. Which action best preserves admissibility?
Question 5
A developer wants to reduce the risk of SQL injection in a new customer search form. Which two changes are the best mitigations? Select two.
Question 6
A branch office uses a flat LAN, and a compromise on one user workstation could spread quickly to finance systems. Management wants finance workstations isolated from general users, but finance staff still need access to a central finance application and network printer. What is the best design change?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add a server-validated anti-CSRF token to each state-changing request — The best control is a server-validated anti-CSRF token. CSRF occurs when an authenticated user’s browser is tricked into sending a legitimate-looking request to a trusted site. Because the session cookie is automatically included, the application must verify that the request originated from its own UI. A unique token, checked on the server for every state-changing action, is the standard defense. Why others are wrong: Stored procedures are relevant to SQL injection, not forged browser requests. Input length limits do not address the trust problem inherent in CSRF. Content security policy is useful against script injection, but a malicious site can still cause a browser to send a request if the app lacks proper CSRF validation.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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