SQL Injection

ETHICAL

hacking Guide
a. What is a sql INJECTION?
SQL Injection Overview
SQL injection is a type of security vulnerability that
occurs when an attacker inserts malicious SQL code into a Attackers exploit error messages generated by the
web form input box to gain access to resources or data database to gain information about the structure and
that they should not have access to. contents of the database.
Types of SQL Injections
Attackers use the UNION operator to combine the results
of two or more SQL queries into a single result set,
Also known as classic SQL injection, the attackers use allowing them to access and manipulate data from
the same communication channel to launch the attack and different database tables.
receive the results.
Attackers infer the results of their attack by observing
Attackers use a different communication channel to send changes in the behavior of the web application.
the attack and receive the results.

Attackers infer the results of their attack by observing

changes in the behavior of the web application.

. W sql INJECTION WORKS

B Ho

H ow SQL Injection Attacks work Examples of SQL Injection Attacks

SQL injection attacks work by exploiting vulnerabilities
in web applications that accept user input and pass it on Includes usernames and passwords, credit card
to a database. An attacker can inject malicious SQL code information, or personal information.
into an input field and manipulate the database to reveal
or modify sensitive information.

Anatomy of a SQL Injection Attack Altering account balances, changing orders or

transactions, or modifying user privileges.
A SQL injection attack consists of three main components:
Login forms or session management to access application
The input field where the attacker can inject code. without proper credentials.

Code that the attacker injects into the input field. Denial of service (DoS) attack by injecting code that
slows down or crashes the application or database.

SQL query that the web application generates based on the Execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating
user input and that the attacker can manipulate. system, giving full access to system & its resources.

Deleting all records in a table, dropping an entire

database, or deleting important files.

Modifying the content of web pages, such as changing text

or images, or redirecting users to a different website.
 C. Consequences of SQL injection
Negative impacts of SQL injection attacks on web
applications
Attacks can cause web applications to lose or corrupt
data stored in their databases. This can lead to a
loss of important information, and may even render the
application unusable.
Attacks can allow attackers to bypass authentication
mechanisms and gain unauthorized access to sensitive
data stored in a web application's database. This can
lead to the exposure of confidential information, such
as user credentials, financial data, or personal
information.
SQL injection attacks can overload web application
servers, causing them to crash or become unresponsive.
This can lead to significant downtime and loss of
service for users, and damage the reputation of the
organization.
confidential emails and other documents. The breach was
D. HOW TO PREVENT SQL INJECTION ATTACKS
Best practices for preventing SQL injection attacks
Validate and sanitize all user input to ensure that it
is safe to use in SQL queries.
Use stored procedures to encapsulate SQL code and
reduce the risk of SQL injection attacks.
Limit the privileges of database users to only those
required to perform their specific tasks.
E. How to detect sql INJECTION
Techniques for detecting SQL Injection attacks
Monitoring for suspicious activity,such as an unusually
high number of SQL errors or unexpected user behavior,
can help detect SQL injection attacks.
Monitoring network traffic and detect SQL injection
attacks based on known patterns of attack.
Monitoring suspicious characters or patterns, such as SQL
keywords or escape characters, can help detect SQL
injection attacks before they can cause damage.
F. COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID
Developer mistakes for SQL injection vulnerabilities
coding practices to avoid SQL injection
Using dynamic SQL queries can make web applications
vulnerable to SQL injection attacks if they do not
properly validate user input or sanitize special
characters.
being used in SQL statements.
Not validating user input can allow attackers to
inject malicious SQL code into a web application,
leading to vulnerabilities.
as part of SQL statements.
Not properly sanitizing user input can allow attackers
to inject malicious SQL code into a web application
and cause SQL injection vulnerabilities.
Companies affected by sQL attacks
In 2011, the Sony PlayStation Network suffered a massive
data breach that exposed the personal information of
millions of users. The breach was caused by a SQL
injection attack, which allowed the attackers to gain
unauthorized access to the network.
In 2012, Yahoo suffered a data breach that exposed the
login credentials and other sensitive information of
hundreds of thousands of users. The breach was caused by
a SQL injection attack on a Yahoo subdomain.
In 2016, the US Democratic National Committee (DNC)
suffered a data breach that exposed thousands of
caused by a SQL injection attack on the DNC's computer
network, which was carried out by Russian hackers.
Techniques and Tools for SQL Injection prevention
There are several techniques and tools available for
preventing SQL injection attacks, including input
validation, using web application firewalls, and
conducting regular vulnerability assessments and
penetration testing.
Examples of SQL injection detection tools
An open-source penetration testing tool that automates
the process of detecting and exploiting SQL injection
vulnerabilities in web applications.
A popular automated SQL injection tool that is widely
used by both security professionals and attackers to
detect and exploit SQL injection vulnerabilities.
A web vulnerability scanner that can be used to detect
SQL injection vulnerabilities in web applications, as
well as other types of security vulnerabilities.
vulnerabilities
Using parameterized queries or stored procedures can
help prevent SQL injection attacks by ensuring that
user input is properly sanitized and validated before
Escaping special characters in user input can help
prevent SQL injection attacks by ensuring that they
are treated as regular characters and not interpreted
Using input validation and sanitization techniques,
such as input filtering and regular expression
matching, can help ensure that user input is safe to
use in SQL queries and prevent SQL injection attacks.