Main Difference between XSS and CSRF Vulnerabilities | Exam SY0-601: CompTIA Security+

XSS vs CSRF Vulnerabilities

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Question

Which of the following is the main difference between an XSS vulnerability and a CSRF vulnerability?

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Explanations

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A. B. C. D. E.

BC.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) are two common web application vulnerabilities that can compromise the security of a web application.

XSS vulnerability is a type of attack where an attacker injects malicious code into a web page viewed by other users. The attacker can execute malicious scripts, steal user data, or perform other actions on behalf of the user without their knowledge. The key characteristic of XSS is that it exploits a vulnerability in a web application that allows an attacker to inject code that will be executed by other users visiting the affected page. In XSS attacks, the attacker does not need to be authenticated to the trusted server, and the victim may or may not be authenticated.

CSRF vulnerability, on the other hand, is a type of attack where an attacker tricks a user into performing an action on a web application without their consent. The attacker may send a malicious link or code to the victim, and when the victim clicks on it, the action is executed on the victim's behalf. For example, an attacker can create a form that will submit data to the victim's account on a trusted server, or transfer money from the victim's account without their knowledge. The key characteristic of CSRF is that it exploits the trust between the victim and the web application. In CSRF attacks, the victim must be authenticated to the trusted server, but the attacker does not necessarily need to be authenticated.

Therefore, the correct answer to the question is:

B. XSS does not need the victim to be authenticated to the trusted server. C. CSRF needs the victim to be authenticated to the trusted server.