Insecure direct object references and directory traversal are examples of which vulnerability category?

Insecure direct object references and directory traversal are examples of which vulnerability category?

• A. Cross-site scripting
• B. Improper access control
• C. CSRF
• D. Broken authentication

Answer: (B)

These examples show a failure to enforce proper authorization for accessing resources. Insecure direct object references occur when an app exposes direct references to internal objects (like IDs) and doesn’t verify that the requester is allowed to access that object; changing the reference can reveal or modify data the user shouldn’t see. Directory traversal likewise lets an attacker manipulate file paths to reach restricted files outside the intended directory, bypassing access checks. Both highlight weaknesses in controlling who can access what, which is the essence of improper access control. The other options describe different issues: cross-site scripting involves injecting scripts into pages, CSRF tricks a user into performing unintended actions, and broken authentication concerns weaknesses in login or session management.

These examples show a failure to enforce proper authorization for accessing resources. Insecure direct object references occur when an app exposes direct references to internal objects (like IDs) and doesn’t verify that the requester is allowed to access that object; changing the reference can reveal or modify data the user shouldn’t see. Directory traversal likewise lets an attacker manipulate file paths to reach restricted files outside the intended directory, bypassing access checks. Both highlight weaknesses in controlling who can access what, which is the essence of improper access control. The other options describe different issues: cross-site scripting involves injecting scripts into pages, CSRF tricks a user into performing unintended actions, and broken authentication concerns weaknesses in login or session management.