What common mistake can lead to retrieving all database records in a PHP query?

The common mistake that can lead to retrieving all database records in a PHP query is not specifying a proper condition or filter in the WHERE clause of the SQL query. This can happen when the WHERE clause is missing or not properly defined, causing the query to return all records from the database table. To solve this issue, always make sure to include a specific condition in the WHERE clause that limits the results to only the desired records. This could be based on an ID, a specific value, or any other relevant criteria that filters the results accordingly. 

// Incorrect query without a proper WHERE clause
$sql = "SELECT * FROM users";

// Correct query with a specific condition in the WHERE clause
$user_id = 1;
$sql = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = $user_id";

Keywords

SQL injection wildcard characters unescaped input fetch all records security vulnerability

Related Questions