CEH Web Application and Injection Attacks Practice Question
Which of the following tools is specifically designed to automate the detection and exploitation of SQL injection vulnerabilities in web applications?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
SQLMap
SQLMap is a well-known open-source tool that automates the process of detecting and exploiting SQL injection vulnerabilities. Burp Suite is a web proxy and scanner, Nikto is a web server scanner, and Metasploit is a penetration testing framework with broader capabilities.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Burp Suite
Why it's wrong here
While Burp Suite is a comprehensive web penetration testing tool, offering capabilities like proxying, scanning, and intruder functions, its primary design is not solely dedicated to automating SQL injection. It can facilitate manual or semi-manual SQL injection testing through its Repeater or Intruder, but it lacks the built-in, intelligent detection and exploitation algorithms specific to SQL injection that a tool like SQLMap possesses. Its broader scope makes it a general-purpose web security tool rather than a specialized SQLi automation engine.
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Nikto
Why it's wrong here
Nikto is an open-source web server scanner designed to perform comprehensive checks for known vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and outdated software on web servers. It primarily focuses on server-side issues, identifying common web server flaws, dangerous files/CGIs, and server misconfigurations. While it might detect some generic web application vulnerabilities, its core functionality does not involve the sophisticated, database-specific payload generation and exploitation techniques required for SQL injection.
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Metasploit
Why it's wrong here
Metasploit Framework is a powerful, modular platform for developing, testing, and executing exploits against a wide range of targets and services. While it includes various auxiliary modules and exploits, some of which can target SQL injection vulnerabilities, its design encompasses a much broader spectrum of penetration testing activities, from reconnaissance to post-exploitation. It is a general-purpose exploitation framework, not a dedicated, specialized tool whose sole function is the automated detection and exploitation of SQL injection vulnerabilities.
- ✓
SQLMap
Why this is correct
SQLMap is an open-source penetration testing tool specifically engineered to automate the process of detecting and exploiting SQL injection flaws in web applications. It supports a wide array of SQL injection techniques, including boolean-based blind, error-based, union query, stacked queries, and time-based blind, across various database management systems. Its specialized algorithms and extensive payload database make it highly efficient and effective for fully automating the identification and exploitation of SQL injection vulnerabilities.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CEH practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CEH exam.