How To Prevent Disastrous SQL Injection Attacks
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by: ChrisChanning
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SQL injection is becoming a problem for web developers- especially those new to the field who aren't up to speed on how insecure PHP can really be. But as the experts like to say, PHP isn't the problem- it's the knowledge of the programmer that counts when it comes to preventing SQL injection attacks.
SQL injections are defined by the vulnerability in the SQL query that PHP developers make use of. When the developer in question puts forth an SQL query, he or she needs to make an effort to validate any input that could come from any web form or entry field. A simple input statement such as "a' OR 'a'='a'" could compromise the security of one's database with ease.
PHP developers have used the magic quotes function to help safeguard against SQL injections. Magic quotes are no longer in use, however, since they were more of a hassle than anything. It is recommended that if a developer has used magic quotes, he or she should remove them since they are no longer supported as of PHP 6. Thus, we need to look elsewhere for a security solution.
The common way to protect against an SQL injection attack is to simply use the mysql_real_escape_string() function that PHP has support for. When passing POST values through this function, the result becomes an escaped string that can't be used to manipulate an SQL query- perfect for our situation.
Another good way to prevent SQL injections is to simply restrict authority in SQL users where possible. For instance: it would be a good idea to create individual users that do specific things: such as create a table or update rows in the said table. This can help make the task of ruining one's hard work much harder for malicious web users, although it's a lot more work for webmasters (Although well worth it).
A special word of advice for PHP developers: don't buy into programs that claim they prevent SQL injections through their classes or web applications. While they may indeed do so, stopping an SQL injection is just as simple as using the previously mentioned function- no need to waste one's money! Alternatively, SQL injection scanners can be used to help find holes.
Closing Comments
Security is a big topic among webmasters, who make no money and achieve no fame by getting attacked via an SQL injection. To keep profits running high, it is recommended that webmasters make use of the tips previously mentioned. It's also good to brush up on more PHP security tips, as well as make use of SQL injection scanners that are available over the Internet.
About the Author
Learn more on SQL Injection or and SQL Injection Cheat.
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