PostgreSQL injection

👉 Overview

👀 What ?

PostgreSQL injection is a technique used by cyber attackers to exploit vulnerabilities in a PostgreSQL database in order to manipulate or extract information. By injecting malicious SQL queries, an attacker can potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, alter or delete data, and even execute administrative operations on the database.

🧐 Why ?

Understanding PostgreSQL injection is crucial as it's a common attack vector in cyberattacks. It poses a significant threat to data security, especially for businesses and organizations that rely heavily on databases for their operations. By understanding this attack method, you can better protect your databases and secure your data.

⛏️ How ?

To prevent PostgreSQL injection, you should always validate and sanitize user inputs, use prepared statements or parameterized queries, and implement appropriate error handling. Regularly updating and patching your PostgreSQL database to fix potential vulnerabilities is also essential.

⏳ When ?

PostgreSQL injection has been a prevalent attack method since the early 2000s, with the rise of dynamic web applications that heavily interact with databases. It's still a relevant threat today, especially for web applications that do not properly handle user input.

⚙️ Technical Explanations

At the core of PostgreSQL injection is the insertion of malicious SQL queries into a database query. When user input is not properly sanitized or validated, an attacker can manipulate the SQL query to execute harmful actions. The SQL query structure is manipulated by using special characters like single quotes or semicolons to end the original query and start a new, malicious query. This can lead to various harmful scenarios, such as data leakage, data manipulation, or even database server takeover.