Flashcards for:
CS 50 Introduction to Cybersecurity: Software Security

Using character escapes like '<' ensures that potentially dangerous characters are not executed as code by the browser, thus preventing the execution of malicious scripts injected via XSS attacks.

Open source software can be more secure because its source code is publicly visible, allowing a large community to inspect, identify, and fix vulnerabilities more quickly. However, it also means that potential attackers can view the source code.

Package managers like pip, gem, and npm automate the process of installing, upgrading, configuring, and managing software packages. Signing and verifying packages ensure that the packages are legitimate and have not been altered maliciously.

Bug Bounty programs incentivize ethical hackers to find and report security vulnerabilities by offering rewards. This proactive approach helps organizations discover and fix vulnerabilities before malicious entities can exploit them.

Command Injection attacks occur when an application passes unsafe user-supplied input to a system shell. To avoid them, refrain from using unsafe functions like `system()` and `eval()`, instead use safer alternatives or thoroughly validate and sanitize inputs.

A CSRF token is a unique, secret value included in requests to validate that the request is intentionally made by the authenticated user. It prevents CSRF attacks by ensuring that a malicious site cannot perform actions on behalf of a user without knowing the token.

CVE provides a reference-method for publicly known cybersecurity vulnerabilities, aiding organizations in identifying specific vulnerabilities and standardizing the way vulnerabilities are identified and discussed.

CVSS is a standardized way to capture the principal characteristics of a vulnerability and produce a numerical score, reflecting its severity. This helps organizations prioritize vulnerability management and response.

SQL Injection attacks can be mitigated by using prepared statements and parameterized queries, which ensure user input is treated safely without directly executing it as part of an SQL command.

EPSS aims to estimate the likelihood that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within a certain timeframe, aiding organizations in prioritizing and addressing vulnerabilities based on their potential risk.

Phishing is a method of attempting to acquire sensitive information by masquerading as a trustworthy entity. Victims can identify phishing by checking URLs before clicking, being wary of emails requesting sensitive information, and noticing discrepancies in the sender's address or the link's domain.

Digital signatures ensure the integrity and authenticity of software by using cryptographic techniques to provide proof that the software has not been tampered with and is from a trusted source.

GET requests include all necessary information in the URL and are used for retrieving data, while POST requests send data in the body of the request and are used for creating or updating resources, making them more secure for sensitive operations.

Cross Site Scripting (XSS) is an attack where malicious scripts are injected into otherwise benign and trusted websites. For example, an attacker might insert a `<script>` tag within a user comment field that executes when viewed, such as `<script>alert('attack')</script>`.

Reflected XSS attacks involve malicious scripts being reflected off a web server, such as through a URL parameter, and executed immediately. Stored XSS attacks occur when malicious input is stored on the target server, like in a database, and executed later when the data is retrieved and displayed.