Authorization testing in Testing Fundamentals - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is authorization testing?

Authorization testing checks if users can access only the parts of a system they are allowed to. It ensures users cannot do things beyond their permissions.

beginner

Why is authorization testing important?

It protects sensitive data and functions from unauthorized users, preventing security breaches and data leaks.

intermediate

Name two common methods to perform authorization testing.

1. Role-based testing: Check access for different user roles.
2. Permission testing: Verify specific permissions for actions or data.

beginner

What is the difference between authentication and authorization?

Authentication confirms who the user is (login). Authorization decides what the user can do (permissions).

beginner

Give an example of an authorization test case.

Test that a regular user cannot access the admin dashboard. The system should block access and show an error or redirect.

What does authorization testing verify?

A User identity verification

B User permissions to access resources

C System performance under load

D User interface design

Authorization testing checks if users have the correct permissions to access resources.

Which is NOT a focus of authorization testing?

A Checking user roles

B Ensuring data protection

C Verifying password strength

D Testing access restrictions

Password strength is part of authentication, not authorization testing.

If a user can access admin features without permission, what kind of issue is this?

A Authorization failure

B Authentication failure

C Performance issue

D UI bug

Allowing access without permission is an authorization failure.

Which testing method involves checking access for different user roles?

A Integration testing

B Load testing

C Unit testing

D Role-based testing

Role-based testing verifies access permissions for different user roles.

What should happen if a user tries to access a page they are not authorized for?

A Access is denied or redirected

B Page loads normally

C User is logged out

D System crashes

The system should deny access or redirect unauthorized users.

Explain in your own words what authorization testing is and why it matters.

Think about who can do what in a system.

Describe a simple test case you could write to check authorization in a web app.

Imagine testing if a normal user can open an admin page.

Practice

1. What is the main goal of authorization testing in software applications?

easy

A. To find syntax errors in the code

B. To verify users can only access allowed resources

C. To test the speed of the application

D. To check if the software installs correctly

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of authorization testing

   Authorization testing checks if users have permission to access certain parts of the system.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from other testing types

   Unlike installation or speed tests, authorization focuses on access control.

3. Final Answer:

   To verify users can only access allowed resources -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Authorization = Access control [OK]

Hint: Authorization means checking user access rights [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing authorization with authentication
• Thinking it tests software installation
• Mixing it with performance testing

2. Which of the following is the correct way to test if a user with role guest cannot access the admin page?

easy

A. Assert that accessing admin page returns status code 403

B. Assert that accessing admin page returns status code 200

C. Assert that the page loads without any error

D. Assert that the user can edit admin settings

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify expected behavior for unauthorized access

   A guest user should be denied access, usually indicated by HTTP status 403 (Forbidden).

2. Step 2: Match assertion with expected status code

   Checking for status 403 confirms access is blocked correctly.

3. Final Answer:

   Assert that accessing admin page returns status code 403 -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Unauthorized access = status 403 [OK]

Hint: 403 means forbidden access, use it to test denial [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using status 200 which means success
• Ignoring error codes and only checking page load
• Testing edit rights for guest users

3. Consider this test code snippet for authorization:

def test_access(user_role):
    if user_role == 'admin':
        return 'Access granted'
    else:
        return 'Access denied'

result = test_access('guest')

What is the value of result after running this code?

medium

A. 'Access denied'

B. 'Access granted'

C. None

D. Error

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the function logic for 'guest' role

   The function returns 'Access granted' only if user_role is 'admin'. For 'guest', it returns 'Access denied'.

2. Step 2: Check the returned value for 'guest'

   Since 'guest' is not 'admin', the else branch runs, returning 'Access denied'.

3. Final Answer:

   'Access denied' -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Guest role = Access denied [OK]

Hint: Only admin gets access; others denied [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming guest has access
• Confusing return values
• Expecting None or error instead of string

4. You wrote this test to check if a user with role editor can access the edit page:

def test_editor_access():
    response = access_page('edit', 'editor')
    assert response.status_code == 200
    assert response.content == 'Access denied'

What is wrong with this test?

medium

A. It uses wrong role name 'editor'

B. It should assert status code 404 instead

C. It misses checking the response headers

D. It asserts success status but expects denial content

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand assertion conflict

   The test expects status code 200 (success) but also expects content 'Access denied', which is contradictory.

2. Step 2: Identify correct assertion logic

   If access is denied, status code should not be 200; usually 403 or similar. The test mixes success code with denial message.

3. Final Answer:

   It asserts success status but expects denial content -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Status 200 means success, can't deny access [OK]

Hint: Status and content must match access result [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing success status with denial message
• Ignoring role correctness
• Assuming 404 for access denial

5. You have three user roles: admin, editor, and viewer. The editor can edit content but cannot access user management. Which test case best verifies this authorization rule?

hard

A. Test that viewer can edit content

B. Test that editor gets 200 on user management page

C. Test that editor can access edit page and gets 403 on user management page

D. Test that admin cannot access edit page

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify editor permissions

   Editor role should have access to edit content but be denied access to user management.

2. Step 2: Match test case to permissions

   Testing editor access to edit page (expect success) and user management page (expect 403 forbidden) verifies the rule correctly.

3. Final Answer:

   Test that editor can access edit page and gets 403 on user management page -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Editor edits allowed, user mgmt denied [OK]

Hint: Test allowed and denied pages per role [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Testing wrong permissions for roles
• Expecting viewer to edit content
• Assuming admin cannot edit content