GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies Practice Test

The purpose of the X-Frame Options header is to prevent the embedding of web pages in frames, which is a key security measure against clickjacking attacks. Clickjacking is a malicious technique where a user is tricked into clicking on something different from what the user perceives, potentially revealing confidential information or allowing other harmful actions to occur without the user's consent. By using the X-Frame Options header, a web application can specify whether and how content can be embedded into frames, thereby providing an essential layer of protection for users and maintaining the integrity of web content.

The other options, while addressing important web security aspects, do not align with the specific function of the X-Frame Options header. Caching controls are managed through different headers such as Cache-Control. Password security during transmission pertains primarily to protocols like HTTPS rather than frame embedding. Lastly, limiting cross-site scripting vulnerabilities involves separate mitigation strategies that are not addressed by the X-Frame Options header.