What type of attack is intended to be prevented by the creation and exchange of state tokens?

The creation and exchange of state tokens is primarily intended to prevent Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks. CSRF occurs when an attacker tricks a user’s browser into making an unwanted request to a web application in which the user is authenticated. This can result in unintended actions being taken on behalf of the user, such as transferring funds or changing account settings.

State tokens work by ensuring that every request made to a server includes a unique identifier associated with the user's session. This token is generally stored in a concealed location (like a cookie or hidden form field) and is validated by the server with every request. If the server does not recognize the token or if the token is missing or invalid, it will reject the request. This mechanism protects against CSRF because an attacker cannot predict or reproduce this token; thus, they cannot forge the authorization necessary to execute harmful actions.

Understanding how state tokens function in maintaining the integrity of user sessions is crucial for protecting web applications from unauthorized actions triggered by CSRF vulnerabilities.