What is SQL Injection? Definition, how it works, prevention tips & more

Posted on: Feb 10, 2023 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

What is SQL Injection? Definition, how it works, prevention tips & more

There is no denying the fact that technology is improving the lives of millions of people across the globe. However, it does come with a small downside. The presence of technology brings hacking and cyberattacks into the picture. And without adequate information and precautions, they can cause a lot of damage. One of the most popular techniques that are used for hacking into applications is SQL injection. If you want to protect yourself from such threats, opt for cybersecurity insurance in Indiato safeguard yourself from the same.

What is the meaning of SQL injection?

SQL injection is a technique that attackers use to access and read sensitive information from the database. It is a code-based vulnerability. Using SQL injections, attackers can easily bypass some of the security of the application and use SQL queries. These queries can be used to create, modify, or delete records in the database.

An SQL injection can affect websites and web-based applications. Thus, if a SQL injection attack takes place, it can have a lot of negative impacts on the web application. It applies to all applications that use a relational database, such as MySQL, SQL Server, or Oracle.

In recent years there have been quite a few breaches in recent years, which have been pinpointed due to SQL injection. Thus, this form of cyberattack has become quite prevalent and hence you need to be extra careful to be safe.

What are the different types of SQL injections?

There are different types of SQL injections. Awareness of the same would help organisations take precautionary measures and make web applications secure. Here are some of the most common types of SQL injections.

1. Error-based

To exploit this type of vulnerability, attackers perform actions that can cause the database to generate errors. The attackers then use these error messages to identify details of the database, such as servers, versions, handlers, etc.

2. Boolean-based

In Boolean-based injections, attackers send queries to the database and ask for a result based on whether the result of the query is true or false. Boolean is when the answer can have only 2 possible outcomes. So, based on the result, the hackers understand the loopholes of the application for a possible cyberattack.

3. Union-based

In this technique, attackers use the Union operator to get a combination of two or more select statements and an HTTP response. Attackers use the URLs to create queries and generate a response from the application.

4. Time-based

Attackers use this method to send a query to the database, which then waits for a certain amount of time before responding. Attackers then use this information to identify whether the result is True or False.

5. Out of Bound

This is one of the lesser-used SQL injection techniques, which relies on a misconfiguration by the database administrator. It largely depends on the different features that are enabled on the database server for the web applications.

SQL injections can prove to be quite dangerous for organisations. If you use web-based applications, you can secure yourself from such attacks with the help of a cyber insurance policy. You can buy cybersecurity insurance in India very easily as multiple insurance providers provide cyber insurance plans which provide coverage against SQL injections.

What is the role of SQL on a website?

There are 3 different types of components that make up a website such as the front end, the back end, and the database. And different languages are used for all three components. SQL is a type of a programming language that is used to communicate with databases and manage the same as well.

For example, the front end is developed using CSS, javascript, and HTML. Scripting languages such as Python, Perl, PHP, etc., make up the backend of the website. And the database of the website use languages such as MySql, MS SQL, Oracle, etc.

When you request any information from a website, it sends a query to the database and retrieves the information. Once the information is retrieved, it is then displayed on the website.

For example, if you request a website to show details of your past orders, it will fetch the data from the database and provide the information to you. SQL is the language that helps to retrieve the data from the database to be displayed on the website.

What is an SQL injection?

SQL injection is essentially a code that is used mainly to destroy and spoil databases. It helps the hackers view unauthorised data that they can otherwise not see.

Now, to explain what is an SQL injection, let me give you a demo of the same. You can follow the below-mentioned steps to understand all about SQL injection:

1. Access a browser of your choice and search OWASP broken web apps.

2. Select the link from sourceforget.net and download the application.

3. Open the downloaded application on a workstation.

4. Using the IP address of the workstation, you can access the application using a browser.

5. You will find a list of applications that have intentional vulnerabilities and other training applications.

6. You must select the OWASP Mutillidae II application for SQL injection demonstration.

7. Click on the left OWASP top 10 for any of the years and select SQLi - >Bypass authentication-> Login.

8. You can enter a random username and password. The application will not allow you to log in.

9. Now enter ‘ or 1==1 – as the username and then click on Login.

10. By entering this username, you essentially gave a condition that is always true. The query selected the default user table in the database and compared it to the condition rather than the password.

11. If you enter 1==2, you will get an error saying, “account does not exist.

Thus, you can clearly see that with SQL injections (SQLi), hackers can easily break into the system of web applications and view unauthorised information.

Can SQL Injection be prevented?

Developers can take a few simple measures to avoid SQL injections in their applications. Here are some of these methods:

1. One can secure the parameters passed as SQL statements by using parameterised queries and prepared statements.

2. Development teams can use object-relational mapping frameworks. These translate SQL results into objects in a very seamless manner.

3. Escaping inputs is one of the simpler ways of avoiding SQL injection. Depending on the language developers use, there might be standard ways of achieving it.

4. Hashing of password.

5. Regular updates and patches on the servers and systems.

6. Using a firewall for web applications.

7. Taking the help of third-party authentication.

8. Monitoring SQL statements and database.

The need for a cybersecurity insurance

Given the constant rise in cyberattacks across the globe, it might be prudent to buy a cyber insurance policy. Here are some of the major reasons to consider cybersecurity insurance in India.

1. Anyone can be a target of cyberattacks. Thus, having adequate protection is one of the best defences.

2. User data is not covered as a part of standard property insurance policies or other insurance policy types. The presence of an exclusive policy for data would add value.

3. Cyber insurance policies are more affordable than one might think of them.

4. The plans offer a wider range of coverage than what many people assume.

Thus, to keep yourself safe from cyberattacks, you must opt for adequate cybersecurity insurance.

To wrap it up:

SQL injection can be disastrous for applications and companies if not taken correctly. It can exploit databases and let attackers get access to critical information. Above are some of the ways by which organisations and applications can protect themselves against SQL injection attacks. As a user, you can protect yourself by buying cybersecurity insurance in India, which will protect you against financial losses, data restoration, and legal assistance.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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