JDBC / connection-string attacks

When it applies

An application lets you influence a database connection — a full JDBC URL, host/port, or driver properties — via a "test connection" button, a data-source/integration config, or a processor in an ETL/automation tool (NiFi, Mirth, reporting suites). The connection itself becomes the exploit: several JDBC drivers execute code or read files as a side effect of connecting.

Why it works

JDBC drivers do more than open a socket — they honor URL properties that were designed for convenience and are dangerous with an attacker-controlled URL. You don't need valid credentials to a real DB; you point the driver at your server (or an in-process engine) and let a driver feature run code in the app's JVM.