- A
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF)
Why wrong: CSRF targets web sessions, not dependency resolution.
- B
Denial of service (DoS)
Why wrong: DoS aims to disrupt service, not inject malicious dependencies.
- C
Dependency confusion
Dependency confusion exploits naming conflicts between private and public packages.
- D
Man-in-the-middle (MITM)
Why wrong: MITM intercepts communications, not package resolution.
Question 431 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 organization uses a private artifact registry for approved package sources. A developer accidentally publishes a package with a similar name to an internal package to the public registry. This could lead to which type of attack?
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
Dependency confusion occurs when a package manager (e.g., npm, pip, Maven) resolves a package name to a public registry instead of a private one, because the public registry has a package with the same or similar name. In this scenario, the developer accidentally published a package with a similar name to the public registry, so internal builds may fetch that malicious public package instead of the intended internal one, leading to arbitrary code execution in the build pipeline.
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.
- ✗
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF)
Why it's wrong here
CSRF targets web sessions, not dependency resolution.
- ✗
Denial of service (DoS)
Why it's wrong here
DoS aims to disrupt service, not inject malicious dependencies.
- ✓
Dependency confusion
Why this is correct
Dependency confusion exploits naming conflicts between private and public packages.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Man-in-the-middle (MITM)
Why it's wrong here
MITM intercepts communications, not package resolution.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests dependency confusion by describing a scenario where a developer publishes a package with a similar name to a public registry, and candidates mistakenly think of MITM because they focus on 'similar name' as a spoofing attack, but the core mechanism is the package manager's registry resolution order, not network interception.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, package managers like npm or pip use a resolution algorithm that checks multiple sources (e.g., private registry first, then public registry) or a single source based on configuration. In a real-world attack, an attacker monitors public registries for internal package names (e.g., 'acme-internal-logger') and publishes a malicious version with a higher version number, causing the package manager to prefer the public package due to version comparison logic (e.g., semver). This attack was famously demonstrated in 2021, affecting major companies like Uber and Apple.
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.
Visual reference
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 — Dependency confusion occurs when a package manager (e.g., npm, pip, Maven) resolves a package name to a public registry instead of a private one, because the public registry has a package with the same or similar name. In this scenario, the developer accidentally published a package with a similar name to the public registry, so internal builds may fetch that malicious public package instead of the intended internal one, leading to arbitrary code execution in the build pipeline.
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.
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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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