- A
Injection
Why wrong: Injection involves code execution, not data exposure.
- B
Broken Object Level Authorization
Why wrong: BOLA is about unauthorized access, not data exposure.
- C
Mass Assignment
Why wrong: Mass assignment allows binding unexpected fields, not returning extra data.
- D
Excessive Data Exposure
The API returns unnecessary sensitive data, a common API vulnerability.
Question 21 of 1,000
CCSP Cloud Application Security Practice Question
This CCSP practice question tests your understanding of cloud application security. 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.
An API endpoint returns user profile data including fields like 'credit_card_number' even when the client application does not need it. Which OWASP API security risk does this represent?
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
✓
Excessive Data Exposure
Option D is correct because the API returns sensitive data (credit_card_number) that the client application does not need, violating the principle of least data exposure. This is a classic Excessive Data Exposure risk (OWASP API Security Top 10 #3), where the server trusts the client to filter the response rather than limiting the fields returned based on the client's actual authorization or need.
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.
- ✗
Injection
Why it's wrong here
Injection involves code execution, not data exposure.
- ✗
Broken Object Level Authorization
Why it's wrong here
BOLA is about unauthorized access, not data exposure.
- ✗
Mass Assignment
Why it's wrong here
Mass assignment allows binding unexpected fields, not returning extra data.
- ✓
Excessive Data Exposure
Why this is correct
The API returns unnecessary sensitive data, a common API vulnerability.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between Excessive Data Exposure and Mass Assignment, where candidates mistakenly choose Mass Assignment because both involve 'extra data,' but Mass Assignment specifically applies to write operations (e.g., PUT/POST) where an attacker modifies fields they shouldn't, not to read responses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Excessive Data Exposure often stems from the server serializing entire database entities (e.g., using JPA @Entity or a MongoDB document) directly into JSON responses without a Data Transfer Object (DTO) layer. In a real-world scenario, a REST API might return a full user object including 'credit_card_number', 'ssn', and 'password_hash' because the developer used a generic 'toJSON()' method on the ORM model, exposing sensitive fields even if the front-end never renders them. This risk is exacerbated when APIs are consumed by mobile or third-party clients, where response inspection is trivial.
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 SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
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: Excessive Data Exposure — Option D is correct because the API returns sensitive data (credit_card_number) that the client application does not need, violating the principle of least data exposure. This is a classic Excessive Data Exposure risk (OWASP API Security Top 10 #3), where the server trusts the client to filter the response rather than limiting the fields returned based on the client's actual authorization or need.
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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