- A
Dependency confusion attack
This attack exploits package managers that default to public registries over private ones.
- B
Supply chain poisoning
Why wrong: Supply chain poisoning is a broader category; dependency confusion is a specific type.
- C
Typosquatting
Why wrong: Typosquatting relies on misspelled names, not exact name matches.
- D
Man-in-the-middle attack
Why wrong: MITM intercepts communications, not registry name conflicts.
Question 14 of 1,000
CCSP Cloud Application Security Practice Question
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 uses a private artifact registry for internal packages. An attacker publishes a malicious package with the same name as an internal package to a public registry. Which attack is being described?
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
✓
Dependency confusion attack
This is a dependency confusion attack, where an attacker uploads a malicious package to a public registry (e.g., npm, PyPI, Maven Central) using the same name as a private package used internally by the target organization. When a build system or developer's package manager is configured to check public registries first (or as a fallback), it may download the attacker's malicious version instead of the legitimate internal package, leading to code execution or data exfiltration.
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.
- ✓
Dependency confusion attack
Why this is correct
This attack exploits package managers that default to public registries over private ones.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Supply chain poisoning
Why it's wrong here
Supply chain poisoning is a broader category; dependency confusion is a specific type.
- ✗
Typosquatting
Why it's wrong here
Typosquatting relies on misspelled names, not exact name matches.
- ✗
Man-in-the-middle attack
Why it's wrong here
MITM intercepts communications, not registry name conflicts.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between 'dependency confusion' and 'supply chain poisoning' by making them sound similar, but dependency confusion is a specific subtype where the attacker exploits name collision between public and private registries, not a generic compromise of the supply chain.
Trap categories for this question
Similar concept trap
Supply chain poisoning is a broader category; dependency confusion is a specific type.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Dependency confusion exploits the package resolution order defined in tools like npm (where 'npm install' checks the public registry if the package is not found in the configured private registry) or pip's '--extra-index-url' fallback behavior. A real-world example is the 2021 attack targeting Microsoft, Apple, and other companies, where researchers published packages with names matching internal libraries to public registries, achieving code execution on internal build servers. The attack succeeds because package managers often do not enforce strict namespace isolation (e.g., scoped packages in npm with '@company/package' can still be confused if the private registry is misconfigured).
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CCSP question test?
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: Dependency confusion attack — This is a dependency confusion attack, where an attacker uploads a malicious package to a public registry (e.g., npm, PyPI, Maven Central) using the same name as a private package used internally by the target organization. When a build system or developer's package manager is configured to check public registries first (or as a fallback), it may download the attacker's malicious version instead of the legitimate internal package, leading to code execution or data exfiltration.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This CCSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 CCSP exam.
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