GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies Practice Test

Why is dynamically adding files based on user input considered a security risk?

1. Because it requires higher server resources

2. Because it opens the application to file inclusion vulnerabilities

3. Because it complicates user authentication

4. Because it slows down the user experience

The correct answer is: Because it opens the application to file inclusion vulnerabilities

Dynamically adding files based on user input is considered a security risk primarily because it opens the application to file inclusion vulnerabilities. When a web application accepts user input to dynamically include files, it may inadvertently allow attackers to manipulate that input. This manipulation can lead to situations where malicious actors can include unauthorized files on the server, potentially leading to remote code execution, exposure of sensitive information, or other forms of exploitation. File inclusion vulnerabilities, such as Local File Inclusion (LFI) and Remote File Inclusion (RFI), take advantage of improper validation of file paths or names given by the user. An attacker can exploit this by entering a specially crafted input, which results in the application including and executing malicious files that can compromise the server and its data. The other choices do touch on potential issues related to user input and application performance, but they do not directly address the significant security implications that arise from improper handling of dynamic file inclusion in applications.