XML Injection

XML Injection is a sophisticated attack vector that falls under the Payload Execution phase, specifically within Injection Exploitations techniques. This attack occurs when untrusted user input is incorporated into XML documents, potentially compromising the structure or logic of XML-based applications. Attackers exploit inadequate input validation to inject malicious XML metacharacters, entities, or CDATA sections into XML processors, which can lead to unauthorized data access, denial of service through entity expansion (XML bombs), server-side request forgery, or complete application compromise. The severity of XML Injection escalates in contexts where XML documents interface with backend systems, databases, or when used in conjunction with XML technologies like XPath or XSLT. Unlike simpler injection flaws, XML Injection attacks require understanding of the underlying XML document structure and processing model, making them particularly dangerous when targeting enterprise applications that extensively rely on XML for data exchange, configuration management, or web services implementation.