Overview
By injecting malicious code into forms, API requests or other inputs, attackers compromise the app’s functionality so they can manipulate it or steal sensitive data. Injection flaws occur when untrusted data is sent to an interpreter as part of a command or query. Injection attacks, such as SQL injection, command injection, or LDAP injection, can trick the interpreter into executing unintended commands or accessing unauthorized data. Mobile applications are vulnerable to injection flaws, especially in cases where user inputs are not properly sanitized before being sent to backend databases, APIs, or other services.
Risk factors
Injection flaws can arise from:
- Failing to validate or sanitize user inputs before passing them to the backend.
- Public-facing APIs that accept unsanitized user input are prime targets for injection attacks.
- Using weak or no parameterized queries for database interactions.
- Accepting user-generated content without checks for malicious code.
- Improper error handling that exposes sensitive details about the backend system can increase vulnerability to injection attacks.
- Use of outdated or insecure third-party libraries may inadvertently introduce injection vulnerabilities.
Consequences
If injection flaws are exploited, the following can happen:
- Data theft: Attackers can extract sensitive data from the database using SQL injection.
- System compromise: Command injection can allow attackers to execute arbitrary system commands, potentially taking control of backend servers.
- Data corruption: Attackers can inject malicious code to modify or delete data.
- Denial of service (DoS): Certain types of injections can overload the system or cause it to crash.
Solutions and best practices
To mitigate the risks associated with injection flaws, organizations should implement the following security measures:
- Input sanitization: Always sanitize and validate user input, using whitelisting where possible.
- Parameterized queries: Use parameterized queries (also known as prepared statements) to prevent SQL injection.
- Secure API design: Ensure that APIs handle input securely and avoid passing untrusted data directly to interpreters.
- Code obfuscation: Application shielding and obfuscation can add additional layers of protection against attackers attempting to inject malicious code.
