Does `mysqli_real_escape_string` Provide Sufficient Protection Against SQL Injection?

Does "mysqli_real_escape_string" Effectively Mitigate SQL Injection Attacks?

Despite its widespread use, the "mysqli_real_escape_string" function alone is insufficient to fully safeguard against SQL injection vulnerabilities.

The Limitations of "mysqli_real_escape_string"

"mysqli_real_escape_string" aims to escape special characters that could otherwise be exploited to manipulate the intended SQL query. However, its reliance on pattern matching only covers a limited set of characters, leaving room for attackers to inject malicious code via alternative methods.

The Superiority of Prepared Statements

To effectively prevent SQL injection, it is highly recommended to utilize prepared statements. Prepared statements isolate data (parameters) from the actual query string, preventing any possibility of contamination. This separation effectively eliminates the threat of SQL injection, even in complex queries.

Additional Security Measures

In instances where prepared statements are not feasible, a strict whitelist can be implemented to restrict input to predetermined safe values. This approach ensures that only approved data is used in SQL queries, minimizing the risk of malicious injections.

Example Implementation

Consider the following code snippet using a prepared statement to safeguard against SQL injection:

$query = $db->prepare("INSERT INTO `users` (`email`,`psw`) VALUES (?, ?)");
$query->execute([$email, $psw]);

In this example, the data (email and psw) is passed as parameters to the prepared statement, ensuring that any potential malicious characters are effectively neutralized.

Therefore, while "mysqli_real_escape_string" offers some protection, the use of prepared statements and/or strict whitelists remain the most reliable and secure solutions against SQL injection attacks.

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