A1 Injection
A1 Injection
The OWASP Top 10 is an essential resource for anyone involved in web application development or security. It
highlights the most critical security risks, provides guidance on how to address them, and helps organizations
strengthen their overall security posture. Regularly reviewing and addressing the OWASP Top 10 can significantly
reduce the likelihood of security breaches and protect sensitive data from malicious attacks.
Injection (A1):
Injection (A1) is a critical security vulnerability identified in the OWASP Top 10, particularly prominent in the 2017
list. Injection flaws occur when an application sends untrusted data to an interpreter as part of a command or query.
This untrusted data can be crafted by an attacker to alter the execution of commands or queries, leading to unintended
actions such as unauthorized data access or execution of malicious code.
2. NoSQL Injection: Targets NoSQL databases (like MongoDB) where injected code manipulates queries. Similar to
SQL injection but specific to the syntax and structure of NoSQL databases.
Example:
Json query:
{"$where": "this.username == 'admin' && this.password == 'password'"}
4. LDAP Injection: Attacks LDAP queries by injecting LDAP commands. For example, injecting a filter to modify
the LDAP query logic.
Example Query:
(&(user=username)(password=*))(|(admin=*))
Data Breach: Attackers can retrieve, modify, or delete sensitive data from a database.
Authentication Bypass: Attackers can bypass authentication controls, gaining unauthorized access.
Data Loss: Commands injected into system shells can lead to data deletion or system compromise.
System Takeover: In some cases, command injection can allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, taking full
control of the system.
Prevention Techniques:
1. Input Validation and Sanitization: Ensure that all user inputs are validated and sanitized before being processed.
Use parameterized queries (prepared statements) to separate data from code.
SQL query:
SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = ? AND password = ?
2. Use of ORM or Safe API: ObjectRelational Mappers (ORMs) can abstract and help prevent direct injection risks.
3. Escape Special Characters: Where applicable, escape special characters in user inputs.
4. Least Privilege Principle: Ensure that the application uses the minimum required privileges to interact with the
database or OS.
5. Use Web Application Firewalls (WAFs): WAFs can help detect and block common injection patterns.
Injection flaws have been a prevalent and severe risk, making their understanding and mitigation essential in secure
application development.