CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice

What type of attack allows an attacker to manipulate XML data through injections?

1. SQL injection

2. XML injection

3. Cross-Site Scripting

4. Buffer overflow

The correct answer is: XML injection

The attack that specifically manipulates XML data through injections is XML injection. This type of attack occurs when an attacker is able to send specially crafted XML data to an application that parses XML input. If the application does not properly validate or sanitize this input, the attacker can alter the structure or content of the XML document, leading to unauthorized actions, disclosure of sensitive information, or even denial of service. XML injection targets the XML data format directly, exploiting applications that rely on XML for configuration, data interchange, or even web service communications. By injecting malicious XML elements or attributes, an attacker can manipulate the application’s behavior and gain access to data or functions not normally available. Other types of attacks mentioned do not focus on XML data. For instance, SQL injection specifically targets databases by injecting malicious SQL statements, while Cross-Site Scripting aims to execute scripts in the context of a user's browser. Buffer overflow attacks exploit memory management issues to overwrite the application’s memory, leading to crashes or arbitrary code execution. Each of these attacks operates in a distinct context and targets different components of software systems.