69. A software developer wishes to implement an application security technique that will provide assurance of the application's integrity, Which of the following techniques will achieve this?
Answer: D
Code signing will provide assurance of the application's integrity.
Code signing is a technique that verifies the authenticity and integrity of software by allowing developers to attach a digital signature to their code. This assures users that the software has not been altered or corrupted since it was signed.
A) Secure cookies
Secure cookies are used to enhance the security of web applications by preventing cookie theft through secure transmission. However, they do not provide assurance of the application's integrity itself, as they primarily focus on securing session data rather than verifying the integrity of the application code.
B) Input validation
Input validation is a crucial technique for ensuring that user inputs are correctly formatted and secure against injection attacks. While it helps maintain the security of an application, it does not directly provide assurance of the integrity of the application's code or functionality.
C) Static analysis
Static analysis involves examining code for potential vulnerabilities and issues without executing it. While it can help improve code quality and security, it does not provide assurance of integrity in the same way that code signing does, as it does not guarantee that the code has not been altered after analysis.
D) Code signing
Code signing ensures that the software has not been tampered with since it was signed by the developer. It provides a cryptographic guarantee of integrity, confirming that the application comes from a verified source and remains unchanged, making it the most effective technique for this purpose.
Conclusion
Code signing is the definitive technique for assuring the integrity of an application, as it provides a secure means of verifying that the software has not been altered. In contrast, the other options focus on different aspects of security and do not directly address integrity assurance. Thus, code signing stands out as the appropriate choice for the developer's goal.