SQL Injection
Last updated: January 12, 2026
SQL injection allows attackers to manipulate database queries by injecting malicious SQL through user input, potentially accessing or destroying all data.
Scan for This VulnerabilityWhat is SQL Injection?
SQL injection occurs when user input is concatenated directly into SQL queries without sanitization. Attackers can inject SQL commands to bypass authentication, extract data, modify records, or even gain system access. It remains one of the most dangerous and common web vulnerabilities.
Why It's Dangerous
This vulnerability can allow attackers to access sensitive data, compromise user accounts, or gain unauthorized control over your application. In AI-generated code, this issue is particularly common because security measures are often deprioritized in favor of rapid feature development.
Why AI Code Is Vulnerable
AI code generation tools focus on producing functional code quickly. They often generate patterns that work correctly but lack the defensive measures experienced security engineers would implement. This makes sql injection particularly prevalent in vibe-coded applications.
Understanding the Technical Details
SQL Injection is classified as a critical-severity vulnerability because of its potential to cause significant damage to your application and users. Understanding the technical mechanics helps you recognize and prevent this issue in your own code.
This vulnerability typically occurs when security controls are either missing entirely, improperly configured, or incorrectly implemented. In many cases, the code appears to work correctly during development and testing, but the security flaw becomes exploitable once the application is deployed and accessible to malicious actors.
Attackers actively scan for this type of vulnerability using automated tools. Once discovered, exploitation can be rapid—often within hours of your application going live. The consequences range from data theft and account takeover to complete system compromise depending on the application's architecture.
For vibe-coded applications built with platforms like Lovable, Bolt.new, Replit, or v0.dev, this vulnerability appears in roughly 20-40% of deployments according to security research. The AI-generated patterns often follow insecure defaults that require manual security hardening.
How It Happens
- String concatenation in SQL queries
- Not using parameterized queries
- Trusting user input without validation
- Dynamic SQL generation from user data
Impact
Complete database compromise
Authentication bypass
Data theft or destruction
Potential server takeover
Regulatory violations (GDPR, etc.)
How to Detect
- Test inputs with SQL characters (' " ; --)
- Use SQL injection scanning tools
- Code review for string concatenation in queries
- Run VAS to detect potential injection points
How to Fix
Use parameterized queries
Always use parameters instead of string concatenation.
// BAD - vulnerable to injection
const query = `SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = '${userId}'`;
// GOOD - parameterized
const query = 'SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = $1';
const result = await client.query(query, [userId]);Use an ORM
ORMs like Prisma, Drizzle, or TypeORM handle parameterization.
// Prisma example - safe by default
const user = await prisma.user.findUnique({
where: { id: userId }
});Validate and sanitize input
Even with parameterized queries, validate input types.
// Validate ID is a number
const userId = parseInt(req.params.id);
if (isNaN(userId)) {
return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Invalid ID' });
}Commonly Affected Platforms
Prevention Best Practices
The most effective approach to sql injection is prevention. Implementing security measures during development is significantly easier and less costly than remediating vulnerabilities after deployment.
Security-First Development
When using AI code generation tools, always review the generated code for security implications. AI tools prioritize functionality over security, so treat all generated code as requiring security review. Establish a checklist of security requirements specific to your application type and verify each before deployment.
Continuous Security Testing
Integrate security scanning into your development workflow. Run scans after major code changes, before deployments, and on a regular schedule for production applications. Early detection of vulnerabilities reduces remediation costs and prevents potential breaches.
Defense in Depth
Never rely on a single security control. Implement multiple layers of protection so that if one control fails, others still protect your application. For example, combine authentication, authorization, input validation, and output encoding to create comprehensive protection against attacks.
Stay Informed
Security threats evolve constantly. Follow security researchers, subscribe to vulnerability databases, and monitor your dependencies for known issues. Understanding emerging threats helps you proactively protect your applications before attackers exploit new techniques.
Is Your App Vulnerable?
VAS automatically scans for sql injection and provides detailed remediation guidance with code examples. Our scanner specifically targets vulnerabilities common in AI-generated applications.
Scans from $5, results in minutes. Get actionable results with step-by-step fix instructions tailored to your stack.
Get Starter ScanFrequently Asked Questions
Is SQL injection still relevant in 2025?
Yes! SQL injection has been in OWASP Top 10 for 20+ years and still causes major breaches. While ORMs reduce risk, raw SQL queries, dynamic queries, and AI-generated code often reintroduce vulnerabilities. VAS still finds SQL injection patterns in modern apps built with vibe coding tools.
Does using an ORM prevent SQL injection?
ORMs (Prisma, Drizzle, TypeORM) are safe by default for standard queries. But most ORMs have escape hatches for raw SQL (prisma.$queryRaw, sequelize.query) - these are vulnerable if you use string concatenation. Stick to the ORM's query builder, or use parameterized raw queries.
What about NoSQL injection in MongoDB?
NoSQL injection is different but equally dangerous. MongoDB queries accept objects, so injecting {$gt: ''} can bypass auth. Example attack: username[$gt]='' matches all users. Prevention: validate input types (string not object), use ODMs like Mongoose with schema validation.
How do I test for SQL injection?
Simple tests: add ' or " to inputs and check for errors. Add ' OR '1'='1 to login fields. Use tools: sqlmap for automated testing, Burp Suite for manual inspection. For production apps, use VAS to scan without affecting real data.