Exam 200-901 topic 1 question 341 discussion

Actual exam question from Cisco's 200-901

Question #: 341
Topic #: 1

A developer attempts to refactor and improve the application code. It is noticed that the code contains several pieces of key information that could be a security threat if this code is accessible by those who are not authorized to this data. Which approach addresses the security concerns noticed by the developer?

A. Host the application code on a machine located in a secure data center.
B. Utilize environment variables for username and password details.
C. Rely on the security teams’ goodwill to not give access to those who do not need it.
D. Move the hardware that the application is deployed on to a secure location.

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: A 🗳️

by rtg2123 at March 4, 2023, 9:11 a.m.

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ExamNinja1

4 months, 3 weeks ago

Selected Answer: B

B. Using environment variables to store sensitive information like usernames and passwords helps keep these details out of the codebase. This reduces the risk of exposing sensitive information if the code is accessed by unauthorized individuals. Environment variables can be managed securely and are not hard-coded into the application, making it a more secure practice. Options A and D focus on physical security, which is important but does not directly address the issue of sensitive information being hard-coded in the application. Option C is not a reliable security measure as it relies on trust rather than implementing a technical solution.

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throwaway_account

6 months, 3 weeks ago

Selected Answer: A

E. Fire the developer, because none of these are suitable options. A is the only one that makes any sense at all, so guess I'll go with that.

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rtg2123

9 months, 2 weeks ago

Selected Answer: A

From my point of view B and C are surely not correct. And D is a bit strange because you don't need to move the hardware to a secure location, there are other better solutions than this. I would go with A

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rtg2123

9 months, 2 weeks ago

"environment variables should never be used to store sensitive configuration information such as credentials and API keys. Instead of environment variables, it is recommended to keep in either YAML configuration file or a shared data source." https://ecylabs.com/blog/2021/06/21/why-using-env-variables-for-secret-data-can-be-dangerous/

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