A cybersecurity analyst is evaluating a new e-commerce web application. While testing the product search functionality, the analyst inputs a string containing a single quote ('). The application responds with an HTTP 500 error page displaying the message: "Syntax error in query expression 'ProductID = 'abc'' AND SearchText LIKE '%test'%' ". Based on this output, the analyst determines that user-supplied input is not being properly handled before being incorporated into a backend query. Which of the following vulnerabilities has the analyst most likely identified?
The correct answer is SQL injection. The database error message, which includes SQL syntax like "Syntax error in query expression," is a classic indicator that the application is vulnerable to SQL injection. The single quote entered by the analyst broke the syntax of the SQL query, causing the database to return an error. Cross-site scripting (XSS) involves injecting client-side scripts, which would not typically cause a backend SQL syntax error. An XML External Entity (XXE) attack targets applications that parse XML, which is not indicated here. While a severe SQL injection could potentially lead to Remote Code Execution (RCE), SQL injection is the specific vulnerability type directly identified by the analyst's test.
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What is SQL injection?
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How does SQL injection differ from cross-site scripting (XSS)?
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