What best describes a SQL injection attack?

A SQL injection attack is defined as a malicious technique used to execute unauthorized SQL commands. This type of attack involves inserting or "injecting" malicious SQL code into a query through user input fields that are not properly sanitized. The attacker can manipulate the SQL statements that the application sends to the database, potentially allowing them to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, alter database content, or even execute administrative operations on the database.

Understanding this concept is crucial for anyone involved in database management or web application development because it highlights the importance of implementing security measures, such as input validation and parameterized queries, to protect against such vulnerabilities.