Cisco Cyber Security Practice Exam

Which of the following is a common use for OAuth?

1. Local file authentication

2. Single sign-on for multiple applications

3. Database encryption

4. Network segmentation

The correct answer is: Single sign-on for multiple applications

OAuth is primarily used as an authorization framework that enables users to grant third-party applications limited access to their resources on another service, without sharing their passwords. This characteristic makes it particularly effective for implementing single sign-on (SSO) across multiple applications. With SSO, a user can log in once and gain access to a variety of related services or applications, thus enhancing user experience and streamlining access. OAuth achieves this by allowing a user to authenticate through a trusted provider (like Google or Facebook) to access various services that integrate with that provider. This mechanism not only improves user productivity but also enhances security by reducing the number of times a user needs to enter their credentials and therefore minimizing the exposure of sensitive information. The other options listed do not align with OAuth's primary functionality or purpose. Local file authentication pertains to methods of verifying user identities for access to local files rather than leveraging web-based permissions. Database encryption involves protecting data at rest or in transit, which is not something OAuth handles. Network segmentation is related to dividing a network into multiple segments to enhance security and performance, which also falls outside the areas that OAuth addresses.