SQL injection scanner definition
SQL injection scanner refers to a security tool designed to analyze an API, application, or website and evaluate if they are vulnerable to a SQL injection attack. A SQL injection attack is a cyberattack that exploits the SQL queries used to interact with the database to steal data.
See also: SQL injection, SQL injection tool
The benefits of SQL injection scanners
- Easier identification of vulnerabilities. A SQL injection scanner’s primary job is to help developers discover vulnerabilities in an application.
- Efficiency. SQL injection scanners can save time by automating the testing for vulnerabilities.
- Cost-effectiveness. SQL injection scanners can be cheaper than testing manually and help test not only the website or the app, but also the infrastructure of the whole organization.
- Compliance. The vast majority of industries and organizations have to comply with some type of laws and regulations requiring them to assess vulnerabilities regularly. SQL injection scanners help comply with these regulations since they can provide evidence that the vulnerability checks were performed.
- Increased security. SQL injection scanners improve the security of apps and websites in multiple ways including finding vulnerabilities, generating security reports, testing for false positive results, and identifying vulnerabilities beyond SQL injection, such as cross-site scripting.
- Transparency. Most SQL injection scanners are free and open source, allowing anyone to analyze their mechanics and improve on them.
