How can you prevent injection attacks?

1 Use parameterized queries

One of the most effective ways to prevent injection attacks is to use parameterized queries instead of concatenating user input with SQL or other code. Parameterized queries separate the data from the code, and ensure that the input is treated as a literal value, not as part of the query. This way, the attacker cannot inject any malicious commands or expressions into the query. Parameterized queries are supported by most programming languages and frameworks, and you should always use them when interacting with databases or other data sources.

2 Sanitize and validate input

Another important measure to prevent injection attacks is to sanitize and validate any user input that is sent to the web server or database. Sanitizing means removing or escaping any characters or symbols that could be interpreted as code, such as quotes, semicolons, or comments. Validating means checking that the input conforms to the expected format, type, length, and range. This way, you can reduce the chances of accepting any malicious or malformed input that could cause an injection attack. You should sanitize and validate input on both the client-side and the server-side, as well as use whitelists or blacklists to filter out unwanted input.

5 Test and scan your web application

The last step to prevent injection attacks is to test and scan your web application regularly for any injection vulnerabilities. You can use various tools and methods to perform security testing and scanning, such as manual testing, automated testing, penetration testing, or vulnerability scanning. These tools and methods can help you identify and fix any injection flaws in your code, configuration, or infrastructure. You should also monitor and audit your web application for any suspicious or anomalous activity, and respond quickly to any incidents or alerts.