What is the storage method for values that expire when a user session times out?

Session variables are specifically designed to store data that is transient and should only persist for the duration of a user's session. When a user logs into an application and initiates a session, session variables become active and hold values that are relevant to that specific session.

As the session is active, developers can store user preferences, temporary data, or any information that should not be retained once the user logs out or the session times out. Once the session ends, these variables are automatically cleared, ensuring that no residual data remains, which is crucial for security and resource management.

Other storage methods listed, such as cross-session properties, global variables, and local variables, do not share the same ephemeral nature. Cross-session properties are meant for storing data that should persist across multiple sessions, while global variables are accessible throughout the application but retain their values beyond individual sessions. Local variables, in contrast, are limited in scope to the current action or function and are not appropriate for storing data that needs to be maintained across various user interactions in a session.

Therefore, session variables are the correct answer for temporarily storing information for the duration of a user's session.