Which symptom could indicate an SQL injection vulnerability has been exploited?

Which symptom could indicate an SQL injection vulnerability has been exploited?

• A. Faster page loads
• B. Unintended data leakage or modification
• C. No response from server
• D. Increased memory usage

Answer: (B)

The underlying idea is that SQL injection occurs when user input is executed as part of a database query, allowing an attacker to pull, modify, or delete data that the application didn’t intend to expose. The clearest sign of this exploitation is unintended data leakage or modification, because it directly shows that the database was affected in ways the application wasn’t designed to permit. Attackers can use crafted input to reveal sensitive rows, alter records, or even delete data, which manifests as visible changes in data or unexpected data being returned. Other options are less specific. Faster page loads aren’t a reliable indicator and can result from caching or other performance factors. A lack of server response could signal a failure or network issue rather than an injection-specific symptom. Increased memory usage is a general performance/resource symptom that could arise from many causes and doesn’t inherently point to SQL injection exploitation.

The underlying idea is that SQL injection occurs when user input is executed as part of a database query, allowing an attacker to pull, modify, or delete data that the application didn’t intend to expose. The clearest sign of this exploitation is unintended data leakage or modification, because it directly shows that the database was affected in ways the application wasn’t designed to permit. Attackers can use crafted input to reveal sensitive rows, alter records, or even delete data, which manifests as visible changes in data or unexpected data being returned.

Other options are less specific. Faster page loads aren’t a reliable indicator and can result from caching or other performance factors. A lack of server response could signal a failure or network issue rather than an injection-specific symptom. Increased memory usage is a general performance/resource symptom that could arise from many causes and doesn’t inherently point to SQL injection exploitation.