Cisco Cyber Security Practice Exam

What is the function of secure cookies in web security?

1. Prevent unauthorized access

2. Store session data securely

3. Encrypted data transmission

4. Monitoring user activity

The correct answer is: Store session data securely

Secure cookies are primarily used to store session data securely in web applications. This functionality is crucial for maintaining user sessions while ensuring that the information is protected from potential threats. By marking a cookie as secure, it instructs the web browser to only send this cookie over secure HTTPS connections. This prevents the transmission of sensitive session information, such as tokens or identifiers, over unencrypted channels where it could be intercepted by attackers. Storing session data securely protects against various security vulnerabilities, such as session hijacking and cross-site scripting attacks. When session identifiers are stored in secure cookies, it minimizes the risk of this data being exploited by malicious users. In contrast to the other options provided, the prevention of unauthorized access, encryption of data transmissions, and monitoring of user activity, while relevant to web security, do not specifically define the function of secure cookies. Secure cookies primarily focus on ensuring that session data is securely stored and transmitted only in safe contexts, emphasizing the integrity and confidentiality of user sessions.