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Application & OT Security · Foundational

Session Timeout

Automatic expiration of a session after inactivity (idle timeout) or after a maximum lifetime (absolute timeout).

Definition

Timeouts limit how long a stolen or abandoned session remains usable. High-value applications use shorter idle timeouts (for example 2-5 minutes), while low-risk applications might use 15-30 minutes; absolute timeouts force periodic reauthentication. Expiration must be enforced server-side.

Example

A banking app ends sessions after 5 minutes idle and 8 hours absolute.

Exam tip

Server-side enforcement matters; a client-side timer alone is insufficient.

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