Digital Forensic Certification Practice Exam

What type of attack uses well-formed commands to manipulate SQL databases?

1. Cross-Site Scripting

2. SQL Injection

3. Denial of Service

4. Phishing

The correct answer is: SQL Injection

The type of attack that manipulates SQL databases through well-formed commands is SQL Injection. This technique involves an attacker inputting malicious SQL queries into a field for user input, such as a web form, where the application does not properly validate or escape the input. As a result, the attacker can manipulate the database to retrieve, modify, or delete data unauthorizedly. SQL Injection takes advantage of vulnerabilities in an application’s software that allows the attacker to send specially crafted SQL queries to the database. This can lead to severe consequences including unauthorized access to sensitive data, data corruption, or even the complete takeover of the database. Other types of attacks mentioned do not involve SQL commands. Cross-Site Scripting involves injecting malicious scripts into webpages viewed by users. Denial of Service aims to disrupt services and make them unavailable to users, often through overwhelming requests. Phishing is a method of tricking users into providing personal information, typically via deceptive emails or websites. Each of these attacks differs fundamentally in their targets and methods compared to SQL Injection.