Definition
Web application attacks are malicious actions targeting vulnerabilities within web applications to compromise their security, data, or functionality. These attacks exploit weaknesses in code, configuration, or user input to gain unauthorized access, steal sensitive information, or disrupt service. Understanding these threats is crucial for developers and security professionals to build resilient applications and protect user data. For instance, SQL injection attacks trick a web application into executing unintended SQL commands, allowing attackers to access or modify database contents. This differs from network-level attacks which target the communication infrastructure rather than the application itself. Knowledge of web application attacks is fundamental for certifications like CompTIA Security+ and CySA+.