SQL-injection vulnerabilities

Abstract

SQL injection (SQLi) is an injection attack that allows interfering with the queries a program makes to its database, and as the name suggests, the queries happen through the standardized SQL query language. Often, this allows an attacker to view data they wouldn't typically have access to, such as data belonging to other users, or any other data the program itself has access to. Despite there being other types of injection vulnerabilities (HTTP header injection, code injection, command injection, etc.), SQLi is more widely known and attractive for attackers when targeting web applications. Below, we will discuss vulnerability statistics and the consequences of SQLi implementation [1].

SQLi vulnerability can affect any website or web application that uses an SQL database, such as MySQL, Oracle, SQL Server, or others. SQL is a query language that manages data stored in relational databases, and it can be used to access, delete, or modify data. In some cases, it's possible to use SQL commands to execute operating system commands. Considering that a significant portion of websites and web applications store all data in SQL databases, a successful SQLi attack can have very serious consequences.

The scope of injection usage is quite broad. Criminals can exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to your confidential data: customer information, personal data, trade secrets, intellectual property, etc. Therefore, successful implementation of SQLi can compromise confidentiality (private user or company data), integrity (making changes to the system or deleting information from it), authentication (potential connection to the system as another user without prior knowledge of the password), and authorization (changing authorization information if it is stored in the SQL database).