In PHP, how does PDO protect from SQL injections? How do prepared statements work?

Question

I understand the right way to protect a db from SQL injection is by using prepared statements. I would like to understand how prepared statements protect my db.

For starters, are prepared statements the same thing as "parameterised queries"?

As an example, I'm pasting below my code for the insertion of a new user in a user table. Is that secure? How does PDO work to make it secure? Does anything more needs to be done to secure the db from injection?

In 'Class_DB.php':

class DB {
 private $dbHost;
 private $dbName;
 private $dbUser;
 private $dbPassword;   
 function __construct($dbHost, $dbName, $dbUser, $dbPassword) {
  $this->dbHost=$dbHost;
  $this->dbName=$dbName;
  $this->dbUser=$dbUser;
  $this->dbPassword=$dbPassword;
 }
 function createConnexion() {
  return new PDO("mysql:host=$this->dbHost;dbName=$this->dbName", $this->dbUser, $this->dbPassword);
 }
}

In 'DAO_User.php':

require_once('Class_DB.php');

class DAO_User {
 private $dbInstance;
 function __construct($dbInstance){
  $this->dbInstance=$dbInstance;
 }
 function createUser($user){
  $dbConnection=$this->dbInstance->createConnexion();
  $query=$dbConnection->prepare("INSERT INTO users (userName, hashedPassword, userEmail) VALUES (?,?,?)");
  $query->bindValue(1, $user->userName);
  $query->bindValue(2, $user->hashedPassword);
  $query->bindValue(3, $user->userEmail);
  $query->execute();
 }
}

Thanks,

JDelage

Answer 1

Ok, I found the answer to my question in this related question: Are PDO prepared statements sufficient to prevent SQL injection?

Thanks to Haim for pointing this Q to me.

In non technical terms, here is how prepared statements protect from injection:

When a query is sent to a data base, it's typically sent as a string. The db engine will try to parse the string and separate the data from the instructions, relying on quote marks and syntax. So if you send "SELECT * WHERE 'user submitted data' EQUALS 'table row name', the engine will be able to parse the instruction.

If you allow a user to enter what will be sent inside 'user submitted data', then they can include in this something like '..."OR IF 1=1 ERASE DATABASE'. The db engine will have trouble parsing this and will take the above as an instruction rather than a meaningless string.

The way PDO works is that it sends separately the instruction (prepare("INSERT INTO ...)) and the data. The data is sent separately, clearly understood as being data and data only. The db engine doesn't even try to analyze the content of the data string to see if it contains instructions, and any potentially damaging code snipet is not considered.