This CCSP practice question tests your understanding of cloud application security. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 company runs a multi-tier cloud application with a web frontend, an API layer, and a database. The application uses OAuth 2.0 for authentication. Recently, users have been experiencing session hijacking attacks. Upon investigation, the security team finds that session tokens are being intercepted in transit. The application uses HTTPS for all communications, but a developer discovers that the application is also accessible via HTTP due to a misconfiguration. The team wants to implement additional security controls to prevent token theft. Which course of action should be taken first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Implement HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) to enforce HTTPS connections
The root cause is that the application is accessible via HTTP due to a misconfiguration, allowing session tokens to be intercepted in transit despite HTTPS being available. Implementing HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) forces the browser to always use HTTPS, preventing any HTTP connections and thus eliminating the interception vector. This directly addresses the misconfiguration before other controls, which would only mitigate but not prevent the theft.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Use IP address binding for session tokens
Why it's wrong here
IP binding can cause issues with legitimate users behind proxies or mobile networks and is not a complete solution.
✓
Implement HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) to enforce HTTPS connections
Why this is correct
HSTS forces browsers to use HTTPS only, eliminating HTTP access and reducing token interception risk.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Switch from OAuth to SAML for authentication
Why it's wrong here
Changing to SAML is a major change and does not directly address the HTTP misconfiguration.
✗
Shorten the session token expiration time
Why it's wrong here
Shorter expiration limits the validity of stolen tokens but does not prevent interception.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
ISC2 often tests the concept that session hijacking prevention must address the root cause (insecure transport) rather than just mitigating the impact of token theft, leading candidates to choose options like shortening expiration or IP binding instead of enforcing HTTPS with HSTS.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
HSTS is defined in RFC 6797 and works by the server sending a Strict-Transport-Security header that instructs the browser to automatically convert all HTTP requests to HTTPS for a specified max-age. This prevents man-in-the-middle attacks that downgrade HTTPS to HTTP, even if the user manually types an HTTP URL. In real-world scenarios, misconfigurations like mixed content or missing HSTS are common in cloud deployments where load balancers or reverse proxies are not properly configured to enforce HTTPS-only traffic.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security analyst at a medium-sized enterprise encounters this scenario during an investigation or architecture review. The correct answer reflects best practice for the specific threat or control described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Security exam questions test whether you can match controls to threats in context — not just recall definitions.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Cloud Application Security — This question tests Cloud Application Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implement HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) to enforce HTTPS connections — The root cause is that the application is accessible via HTTP due to a misconfiguration, allowing session tokens to be intercepted in transit despite HTTPS being available. Implementing HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) forces the browser to always use HTTPS, preventing any HTTP connections and thus eliminating the interception vector. This directly addresses the misconfiguration before other controls, which would only mitigate but not prevent the theft.
What should I do if I get this CCSP question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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