Injection Vulnerabilities in Libraries

SQL injection vulnerabilities in database libraries and ORMs (Object-Relational Mappers) pose significant risks when components fail to properly parameterize queries. While modern frameworks generally handle parameterization correctly, vulnerabilities still emerge in edge cases or when developers misuse APIs. The Ruby on Rails framework has experienced multiple SQL injection vulnerabilities over the years, each affecting thousands of applications built on the platform.

XML External Entity (XXE) injection vulnerabilities plague XML processing libraries across multiple programming languages. These flaws allow attackers to read local files, perform server-side request forgery, or cause denial of service. The Java ecosystem has been particularly affected, with vulnerabilities in popular libraries like Apache Commons and various XML parsers. The widespread use of XML in enterprise applications amplifies the impact when these vulnerabilities are discovered.

Command injection vulnerabilities in dependencies often arise in utilities that execute system commands. Libraries for image processing, document conversion, or system administration frequently contain these flaws. ImageMagick, a popular image processing library, has suffered numerous command injection vulnerabilities that allowed attackers to execute arbitrary commands by crafting malicious image files. These vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they often affect server-side processing where user input should never directly influence command execution.