Static Analysis Challenges in Object-Oriented Security Testing Quiz

Explore key principles of static analysis for object-oriented code in security testing. This quiz assesses your understanding of common vulnerabilities, analysis limitations, and best practices in static and dynamic code analysis for object-oriented programming.

1. Identifying Insecure Inheritance

   Which security issue can arise in object-oriented code when a subclass overrides a method without maintaining access control present in the superclass?

   1. Privilege escalation
   2. Buffer overflow
   3. Race condition
   4. Cross-site scripting

   Explanation: Privilege escalation can occur if a subclass removes or weakens the access controls present in the superclass, allowing unauthorized access. Buffer overflows are related to memory management rather than inheritance. Race conditions involve concurrent execution issues, not method overrides. Cross-site scripting is a web-specific vulnerability, typically unrelated to object-oriented inheritance.

2. Static Analysis Limitation Example

   Why can static analysis tools struggle to detect security flaws in object-oriented code that relies heavily on runtime polymorphism?

   1. They cannot predict actual method calls at runtime
   2. They modify source code directly
   3. They always ignore public methods
   4. They execute the code in real-time

   Explanation: Static analysis tools sometimes miss issues in code with runtime polymorphism because the exact method that will be called is determined during execution, not during static examination. Modifying source code is not typically part of static analysis. Public methods are often analyzed, not always ignored. Real-time execution is a feature of dynamic, not static, analysis.

3. Vulnerable Data Flow in Encapsulated Classes

   If sensitive data is improperly exposed through a public getter in an object-oriented class, which security risk does this best represent?

   1. Information leakage
   2. SQL injection
   3. Denial of service
   4. Directory traversal

   Explanation: Exposing sensitive data through a public getter allows unintended parties to access confidential information, resulting in information leakage. SQL injection is related to unsafe database queries, not direct field exposure. Denial of service involves overwhelming system resources. Directory traversal concerns unauthorized file system access, not class encapsulation.

4. False Positives in Static Code Analysis

   In static analysis for object-oriented code, what is a common cause of false positives when reporting security issues?

   1. Lack of contextual information about class interactions
   2. Running analysis after deployment
   3. Ignoring source code comments
   4. Using dynamic code loading exclusively

   Explanation: Static analysis tools may report false positives when they cannot fully understand how classes interact at runtime, leading to assumptions about potential vulnerabilities. Running analysis after deployment is a timing issue, not a direct cause of false positives. Ignoring comments might reduce insights but is not the main reason for incorrect alerts. Dynamic code loading is more closely associated with challenges in dynamic analysis rather than in static inspection.

5. Choosing Between Static and Dynamic Analysis

   Which advantage does static analysis offer over dynamic analysis when examining object-oriented code for security vulnerabilities?

   1. It can detect vulnerabilities without executing the code
   2. It handles runtime behavior more effectively
   3. It always finds logic errors during execution
   4. It guarantees zero false negatives

   Explanation: Static analysis inspects code structure and patterns without requiring program execution, allowing early detection of certain vulnerabilities. Handling runtime behavior is better suited to dynamic analysis. Finding logic errors during execution is characteristic of dynamic analysis, not static. No analysis method can guarantee zero false negatives.