SQL injection monitoring and vulnerability scanning are both security measures aimed at detecting and preventing SQL injection attacks, but they differ in approach, timing, and purpose.
Definition:
SQL injection monitoring involves real-time or near-real-time detection of suspicious SQL queries or database activities that may indicate an ongoing or attempted SQL injection attack. It focuses on observing and alerting on suspicious behavior as it happens.
How it works:
UNION statements, excessive OR 1=1 attempts).Example:
A web application logs all database queries. If an attacker tries to inject admin' -- into a login form to bypass authentication, the monitoring system detects the unusual query structure and sends an alert to the security team.
Relevant Tencent Cloud Service:
Definition:
Vulnerability scanning is a proactive process of scanning an application or database to identify potential weaknesses (including SQL injection vulnerabilities) before attackers exploit them. It checks for known security flaws rather than active attacks.
How it works:
1' OR '1'='1).Example:
A security team runs a vulnerability scanner on their e-commerce site. The scanner detects that the search function does not properly sanitize user inputs, making it vulnerable to SQL injection if an attacker submits malicious input.
Relevant Tencent Cloud Service:
| Feature | SQL Injection Monitoring | Vulnerability Scanning |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Real-time / ongoing | Periodic / on-demand |
| Focus | Detecting active attacks | Finding potential weaknesses |
| Method | Observes database queries & logs | Actively tests inputs for flaws |
| Response | Alerts on suspicious activity | Provides a list of vulnerabilities |
Both are complementary—monitoring detects attacks in progress, while scanning prevents future risks by finding weaknesses early. Tencent Cloud provides tools for both, such as DBAudit (monitoring) and WAF/Security Scanner (scanning).