Code RoomInjection-proof search query spec
MediumPrep Room Coding #4162

Injection-proof search query spec

Vibe & agenticSecurityDatabases & SQLMid–Senior~16 min

You're directing an AI agent to build a search feature in Python that filters records by a user-supplied keyword and an optional, user-chosen sort column, against Postgres. Write the spec that makes it injection-proof for BOTH inputs. What parameterization and identifier-handling rules do you mandate, and what acceptance criteria prove it? Then describe what a naive prompt ('build a search query from the keyword and sort column') gets wrong — including the part even parameterization doesn't fix.

Implement
build_search_query(keyword: str, sort_column: str, sort_direction: str, allowed_columns: list[str]) → list[str]
Examples
in["o'brien","name","asc",["name","created_at","email"]]out["SELECT id, name FROM records WHERE name ILIKE %s ORDER BY name ASC","%o'brien%"]
in["'; DROP TABLE users;--","created_at","DESC",["name","created_at"]]out["SELECT id, name FROM records WHERE name ILIKE %s ORDER BY created_at DESC","%'; DROP TABLE users;--%"]
in["ana","name; DROP TABLE users","asc",["name","created_at"]]out[]
What a strong answer looks like

Treat the AI’s output as a draft to verify, not an answer to trust. Name the specific flaw and the input that triggers it, say how you’d catch it (tests, edge cases, reading critically), and how you’d re-prompt or decompose to get it right.

0:00 of about 16 min

Vibe & agentic: describe the solution in plain language (or narrate it) and the coach grades your approach.

Which questions mattered is sealed until you submit. Telling you now would just be handing over the edge cases.