What is SQL Injection: Definition and How to Solve It

Recently, cybercrime attacks tend to increase in number significantly. One of them is SQL Injection which is quite dangerous for data and server security. Even though it is a dangerous activity, many people still don’t know what SQL Injection is.

According to a number of studies, SQL injection is the third biggest security risk in web applications. This type of attack causes a lot of damage due to the destruction of the website or application database.

SQL injection itself is an attack that is quite dangerous, in fact it occupies the third position with the highest risk of attack. SQL injection attacks involve theft and manipulation of databases, including users’ personal data and even financial assets.

Table of Contents

What is SQL Injection?

what is SQL injection

Before discussing in more detail what is SQL injection, you first need to know about the definition of SQL Injection. The goal, of course, is to get a more complete and detailed understanding of what SQL injection is and its dangers.

In short, SQL injection is a technique for exploiting security vulnerabilities in application databases. This cybercrime threat can occur due to input that is not properly filtered in its manufacture, so that loopholes are created that can be abused.

Read: Social Engineering is: Definition and How to Prevent It

SQL injection is done by modifying the SQL command on the application input form, so that the perpetrator can send the syntax to the application database. That way, hackers can see data they shouldn’t see including data belonging to other users, or other data that the app itself has access to.

In certain cases, perpetrators can modify or delete the data so that it can cause changes to the content or application. So that hackers can get data or other things that are their target in the database.

How SQL Injection Works in General

how does SQL injections works

After knowing the definition of what is SQL injection, now you also need to know about how SQL injection works. Knowing how SQL injection works in general will allow you to better understand the mechanisms of cybercrime activities.

For information, here is how SQL injection works in general that you need to know:

1. Identify Database Security Vulnerabilities

The main target of SQL injection activity is access to website or application databases. Therefore, the first step that hackers will take is to find and identify security holes in a database.

At this stage, hackers will look for security holes in the targeted website or application, generally on the login form. Next, SQL injection is a method used by attackers through code input through the login form with SQL queries that will be processed by the database as commands.

If the query sent shows the user login details, then the login process can be said to be successful. But if not, then the login process will fail or be rejected. When the login attempt is successful, the hacker will be able to access the data in the victim’s database for personal gain.

2. Validate SQL Query Used

The next step in how SQL injection works is to perform SQL validation. At this stage, the SQL query that has been inputted will instruct the database to carry out the validation process so that further processes can be carried out.

Read: What is a Cybercrime and How to Protect Yourself from Them!

That way, SQL injection will be a threat in the database where the database will provide login information from the user without checking the password first. As a result, hackers will be able to login to a certain website page or application.

3. Access to Victim Database

If the SQL query validation process is successfully carried out, the hacker will automatically enter the victim’s database system. As a result, hackers managed to enter the website without a verification process.

In some more dangerous cases, SQL injection is a method used by hackers to be able to control websites by making themselves as administrators on the web.

If this happens, all website data to the manager’s personal data can be deleted. Then, the website was completely controlled by hackers. So that hackers can benefit according to what they have been after.

Why is SQL Injection Dangerous?

what is SQL injection database

After reading what is SQL injection, you also need to understand about the dangers that can arise from one of these types of cybercrime. For information, here are some reasons why SQL injection is a very dangerous activity.

1. Bypassing Login Verification and Threatening User Privacy

As explained earlier, SQL injection allows hackers to be able to log into web pages or applications without using the correct username or password. So that hackers can get in-depth access to websites and applications that are victims.

Read: Social Engineering is: Definition and How to Prevent It

This means that the existence of a user verification feature that is used as a filter in accessing the website is very easy for hackers to bypass. As a result, this condition can endanger the victim’s website or application so that the potential for losses will be even greater.

2. Website or Application Data Theft

The next reason that makes SQL injection a dangerous crime is that it can be used to steal website and application data. SQL injection is a form of cybercrime threat that performs its action through SELECT and OUTPUT queries, so that hackers can access all data in the target database table.

Database is an important component for any website or application. Because the database is usually used to store various types of important information on the web or application. Starting from usernames, account passwords, and various types of users’ personal data.

If the hacker manages to access the database via SQL injection, then the hacker can get various important information in it. So they can steal the data and then use the data according to the purpose they have.

3. Accessing the Operating System and Bypassing Firewalls

Operating System (OS) is an important component in a computer or server. Without the OS, the device will not be able to work optimally and optimally in carrying out the commands given.

Another negative impact of SQL injection is that hackers can access the operating system (OS). If SQL injection succeeds in attacking access to the OS, then the hacker is said to be using the OS Command Execution to attack the internal network contained in the firewall.

Read: What is a Gateway and its Function on a Computer Network

It can be said that SQL injection is a dangerous threat that not only attacks singly, but also opens up opportunities for other malicious attacks. So SQL injection should be avoided to minimize potential losses for victims of website or application owners.

How to Prevent from SQL Injection

how to prevent SQL injection attack

After reading what is SQL injection and the dangers it poses, now is the time you also need to know how to prevent SQL injection attacks from occurring. The goal is that you can overcome and reduce the risk of loss due to SQL injection actions.

For information, here are some ways that can be used to prevent SQL attacks:

1. Perform Data Validation

The first way that can be used to prevent SQL injection is through the data validation process. The validation process in question is in the data input stage that is carried out into the system.

In general, data validation is divided into two different methods, namely blacklisting and whitelisting. Blacklisting is a method or way to overcome SQL injection by denying the entry of data input that is known to be harmful and bad, such as (&, ;, `, ‘, \, “, |, *, ?, ~, <, >, ^, (, ), [, ], {, }, $, \n, and \r).

Meanwhile, whitelisting is the opposite of blacklisting which is a method or way of filtering data that only accepts input data that is definitely safe. In essence, data input will be immediately rejected if it is not included in this whitelist.

2. Setting the Fill Box Format

The next way that can be used to overcome the occurrence of SQL Injection threats is to set the character type in the filling box. By setting the format in the fill box will limit the types of characters that can be input into the system so that the threat of SQL injection will be minimized.

3. Take advantage of SQL Escape String

The next way to overcome SQL injection is to use SQL Escape String which is useful for preventing malicious SQL queries from entering the website database. So, what is SQL injection using SQL Escape String?

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Utilizing SQL Escape String means using code combinations that are useful in adding escape characters, by changing one type of character that is predicted to be dangerous (‘) to another character (\’).

4. Disable Error Notifications

Please note that the presence of error notifications will make it easier for you to develop a website. But keep in mind, if the active website has been used, don’t forget to turn off the error notification.

The error notification feature can indeed minimize errors on websites or applications that are in the development process. However, it should also be ensured that it is important to turn it off when the website has entered the usage phase.

Because, the error notification feature in SQL injection is a feature that can be abused by hackers out there. From the errors that appear, hackers can take security holes from a website. After that, hackers will be more flexible to carry out SQL injection.

5. Implement WAF and IPS

The next way that can be used to prevent SQL injection is to use WAF and IPS. Installing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) which is useful for filtering out possible attacks by SQL injection and attacks from other cyber.

The way SQL injection works through WAF is to equate incoming queries and then register updated queries regarding any SQL that is dangerous. Many of the latest types of WAF are capable of detecting IP reputation so that they can perform IP searches that are considered dangerous.

Read: What is a Backdoor and How to Protect your device from it?

In addition to using WAF, another example of SQL injection that can be used is the Intrusion Prevention System (IPS). IPS is useful for monitoring traffic on the network and OS. In addition, IPS is also useful for detecting circulating data and will choose which data is dangerous through its track record.

Conclusion

SQL injection is a very dangerous activity because it can threaten the security of a website or server. In short, SQL injection is a technique for exploiting security vulnerabilities in application databases.

The increasing number of criminal threats in the digital world, makes you need to be careful in managing a server or website. In addition, you also need to increase protection on websites and applications to stay safe from the threat of cyber crime.

That’s a complete discussion of what is SQL injection that you need to know. Now that you’ve read the article, I hope you can have a more complete understanding of SQL injection, how it works, and also how to prevent it.

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