SQL Injection Pattern (Basic Detection) Regex for Python

What this pattern does

This page provides a comprehensive, battle-tested regular expression for matching sql injection pattern (basic detection), ported and verified for Python. In security-sensitive code, using an unverified regex can open the door to both false positives and denial-of-service attacks. The snippet below is ready to drop into your Python project — whether you're validating in a Django view, a FastAPI endpoint, or a standalone data processing script.

Python Implementation

# SQL Injection Pattern (Basic Detection)
# ReDoS-safe | RegexVault — Security > Injection Patterns

import re

sql_injection_pattern_basic_detection_pattern = re.compile(r'(?:;|--|#|/\*|\*/|\bUNION\b|\bSELECT\b|\bINSERT\b|\bUPDATE\b|\bDELETE\b|\bDROP\b|\bCREATE\b|\bALTER\b|\bEXEC\b|\bEXECUTE\b|\bxp_|\bsp_|'(?:--|OR|AND)\s+|OR\s+1\s*=\s*1|AND\s+1\s*=\s*1|'\s*OR\s*'|"\s*OR\s*"|CHAR\s*\(|CONCAT\s*\(|SLEEP\s*\(|WAITFOR\s+DELAY)')

def validate_sql_injection_pattern_basic_detection(value: str) -> bool:
    return bool(sql_injection_pattern_basic_detection_pattern.fullmatch(value))

# Example
print(validate_sql_injection_pattern_basic_detection("' OR 1=1--"))  # True

Test Cases

When to use this pattern

This pattern is drawn from the Security > Injection Patterns category and carries a ReDoS-safe certification. That matters for Python developers because particularly important in Python web servers where CPU-bound regex operations can stall concurrent request handling. RegexVault audits patterns against known backtracking attack vectors, ensuring you have the necessary context before using this regex in a high-stakes production environment.

Common Pitfalls

Technical Notes

Detection pattern for WAF rules and input validation logging. HIGH false positive rate — legitimate inputs can match (e.g., user names with apostrophes, technical documentation). Use for alerting/logging rather than hard blocking. Always use parameterized queries as the real defense.