A Security Operations Center (SOC) analyst is reviewing network intrusion detection system (NIDS) alerts monitoring an enterprise web application. The system generated an alert categorized as a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attempt after inspecting an HTTP request containing the payload `GET /login.php?user=admin' OR '1'='1'-- HTTP/1.1`. Which of the following best describes the analyst's evaluation of this alert?
- The alert is miscategorized because the payload represents a SQL injection attack attempting database query manipulation rather than client-side script execution.Cevap
- BThe alert is correctly categorized because SQL statements included within HTTP GET parameters are interpreted as client-side script execution by web browsers.
- CThe alert indicates a detective control failure because the passive NIDS failed to block the malicious packet inline before reaching the server.
- DThe alert should be resolved by reconfiguring a network-level stateless firewall to filter and sanitize application layer SQL strings in real time.
Cevap
The alert is miscategorized because the payload represents a SQL injection attack attempting database query manipulation rather than client-side script execution.
The string `user=admin' OR '1'='1'--` is a signature of SQL injection, which targets backend relational database queries. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) involves injecting client-side scripts (such as JavaScript) executed by the browser. Because the NIDS rule flagged a SQL injection vector as XSS, the analyst correctly evaluates the alert as miscategorized.
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Anahtar Kavram
Network Security Monitoring Alert Interpretation and Attack Classification