The phrase you provided, -9718 UNION ALL SELECT 34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34# , is a classic example of , a technique used to probe a database for vulnerabilities. Understanding the Syntax
: Ensure the database user account has the bare minimum permissions necessary to function. -9718 UNION ALL SELECT 34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34,34#
This specific string is designed to trick a web application into running an unintended database command: The phrase you provided, -9718 UNION ALL SELECT
: Filter and sanitize all user-provided data to block unexpected characters like UNION , SELECT , or # . This pattern is often the "reconnaissance" phase of
This pattern is often the "reconnaissance" phase of an attack. Once an attacker knows how many columns a table has and which ones are displayed on the screen, they can replace the dummy numbers with commands to extract sensitive data, such as usernames, passwords, or system configurations. How to Prevent These Attacks To protect your applications, developers should:
: The repeated "34" is used to determine the number of columns required by the original query. If the number of values (in this case, ten) doesn't match the original table's columns, the database will return an error.
: In many SQL dialects like MySQL, the hash symbol indicates the start of a comment, which "comments out" the rest of the original, legitimate query so it doesn't cause a syntax error. Security Implications