A security administrator develops a web page and limits input into the fields on the web page as well as
filters special characters in output. The administrator is trying to prevent which of the following attacks?

A.
Spoofing

B.
XSS

C.
Fuzzing

D.
Pharming

Explanation:
Cross-site scripting (XSS) is a type of computer security vulnerability typically found in Web applications.
XSS enables attackers to inject client-side script into Web pages viewed by other users.
Cross-site scripting uses known vulnerabilities in web-based applications, their servers, or plug-in systems
on which they rely. Exploiting one of these, attackers fold malicious content into the content being
delivered from the compromised site. When the resulting combined content arrives at the client-side web
browser, it has all been delivered from the trusted source, and thus operates under the permissions
granted to that system. By finding ways of injecting malicious scripts into web pages, an attacker can gain
elevated access-privileges to sensitive page content, session cookies, and a variety of other information
maintained by the browser on behalf of the user.
By validating user input and preventing special characters, we can prevent the injection of client-side
scripting code.
Incorrect Answers:
A: There are several kinds of spoofing including email, caller ID, MAC address, and uniform resource
locator (URL) spoof attacks. All types of spoofing are designed to imitate something or someone.
Email spoofing (or phishing), used by dishonest advertisers and outright thieves, occurs when email is
sent with falsified “From:” entry to try and trick victims that the message is from a friend, their bank, or
some other legitimate source. Any email that claims it requires your password or any personal
information could be a trick.In a caller ID attack, the spoofer will falsify the phone number he/she is calling from.
Input validation is not used to prevent spoofing.
C: Fuzz testing or fuzzing is a software testing technique used to discover coding errors and security
loopholes in software, operating systems or networks by inputting massive amounts of random data,
called fuzz, to the system in an attempt to make it crash. If a vulnerability is found, a tool called a fuzz
tester (or fuzzer), indicates potential causes. Fuzz testing was originally developed by Barton Miller at the
University of Wisconsin in 1989. This is not what is described in this question. Input validation is not used
to prevent fuzzing.
D: Similar in nature to e-mail phishing, pharming seeks to obtain personal or private (usually financial
related) information through domain spoofing. Rather than being spammed with malicious and
mischievous e-mail requests for you to visit spoof Web sites which appear legitimate, pharming ‘poisons’
a DNS server by infusing false information into the DNS server, resulting in a user’s request being
redirected elsewhere. Your browser, however will show you are at the correct Web site, which makes
pharming a bit more serious and more difficult to detect. Phishing attempts to scam people one at a time
with an e-mail while pharming allows the scammers to target large groups of people at one time through
domain spoofing. Input validation is not used to prevent pharming.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-site_scripting
http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/fuzz-testing
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/pharming.html