SQL injection
SQL injection is a cyberattack that occurs when an attacker inserts malicious SQL code into a query. This can happen when user input is not validated correctly or sanitized before being used in a SQL query. The goal of SQL injection is to manipulate the query in a way that allows unauthorized access to a database, retrieval of sensitive information, or modification of data.
Here are some critical points about SQL injection:
- Vulnerable input points: SQL injection typically occurs in web applications where user inputs, such as form fields or URL parameters, are directly incorporated into SQL queries without proper validation or parameterization. We discussed this in Chapter 8 when we discussed input validation and sanitization.
- Attack scenarios:
- Unauthorized access: Attackers may use SQL injection to bypass authentication mechanisms and gain unauthorized access to a system
- Data retrieval: Attackers can manipulate queries to retrieve sensitive data from a database...
