CompTIA CASP+ Practice Test

What type of attack is being attempted if user input includes 'firstname=Hack;man'?

1. Denial of Service

2. User impersonation

3. SQL injection

4. Cross-site scripting

The correct answer is: SQL injection

When user input includes a string like 'firstname=Hack;man', it indicates an attempt to exploit the underlying system by injecting malicious data into a database query. This is characteristic of an SQL injection attack. In SQL injection, attackers manipulate input fields to execute arbitrary SQL commands in the database. The semicolon in the input can signal the end of a SQL statement and the start of a new one, allowing the attacker to introduce harmful instructions that the database server may execute. SQL injection can lead to unauthorized data access, information leaks, or even complete control over the database. Particularly, the presence of unexpected characters or query manipulation signifies an attempt to disrupt the normal behavior of the application and breach security measures intended to safeguard database interactions. This is why the conclusion is that this input demonstrates a clear pattern consistent with SQL injection attacks.