What are the most important security standards for SQL injection prevention?

1 Use parameterized queries

Parameterized queries are a way of separating the data from the code in your SQL statements. Instead of concatenating user input directly into your query, you use placeholders or parameters that are bound to the input values at runtime. This way, the database engine treats the input as data, not as part of the query logic, and prevents the execution of any malicious commands. Parameterized queries are supported by most programming languages and frameworks, such as PHP, Java, .NET, and Python.

2 Validate and sanitize user input

Another way to prevent SQL injection is to validate and sanitize user input before passing it to your database. Validation means checking if the input conforms to the expected format, type, length, and range. Sanitization means removing or escaping any potentially harmful characters or keywords from the input, such as quotes, semicolons, or comments. You can use regular expressions, built-in functions, or libraries to perform validation and sanitization. However, be aware that these methods are not foolproof and may not cover all possible cases of SQL injection.

3 Implement least privilege principle

The least privilege principle means granting the minimum level of access and permissions to your database users and applications. This way, you can limit the impact and damage of a SQL injection attack, as well as reduce the attack surface and the exposure of sensitive data. For example, you can create different roles and accounts for different tasks and functions, such as reading, writing, updating, or deleting data. You can also restrict the access to certain tables, columns, views, or stored procedures based on the role and account.

4 Use stored procedures and views

Stored procedures and views are pre-defined SQL statements that are stored and executed on the database server. They can help prevent SQL injection by encapsulating the query logic and reducing the need for dynamic SQL. Stored procedures can also use parameters to bind user input values, similar to parameterized queries. Views can provide a layer of abstraction and security by hiding the underlying table structure and data from the users and applications.

5 Monitor and audit your database activity

Monitoring and auditing your database activity can help you detect and respond to SQL injection attacks. You can use tools and features such as logs, alerts, triggers, or anomaly detection to track and analyze the queries, transactions, errors, and performance of your database. You can also use tools and features such as backups, recovery, encryption, or hashing to protect and restore your data in case of a breach. By monitoring and auditing your database activity, you can identify and fix any vulnerabilities, as well as improve your security posture and practices.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?