What vulnerability occurs when untrusted data leads to unintended command execution?

The vulnerability that arises when untrusted data results in unintended command execution is known as injection. This type of vulnerability often manifests in scenarios where an application incorrectly handles user input, allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary commands or queries within the application’s environment.

Injection attacks can take various forms, including SQL injection, command injection, and others. When an application accepts input without proper validation or sanitization, it may inadvertently allow this input to be executed as a command or query, leading to unauthorized actions. For instance, in the case of SQL injection, an attacker could manipulate a SQL query by injecting malicious code through input fields, compromising the database.

Understanding the mechanisms of injection vulnerabilities is critical for incident handlers, as they can lead to severe security breaches, including data exposure, system compromise, and unauthorized access to sensitive functions. Proper input validation and sanitization strategies are essential for defending against these types of vulnerabilities.