SQL Injection Prevention

Imagine you're talking to a database using a special language called SQL. Sometimes, bad actors can trick your application into sending unexpected SQL commands to the database.

This trick is called SQL Injection (SQLi). It happens when user input is treated as part of the SQL command itself, rather than just data.

SQLi can lead to:

• Data theft or modification
• Bypassing login screens
• Gaining control over the database server

Let's say a login form takes your username and password. The application might build a SQL query like this to check if you exist:

SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = 'your_username' AND password = 'your_password';

What if 'your_username' isn't just a name, but also a piece of SQL code?