Which technique can lead an attacker to escalate their access privileges through an SQL injection?

The technique that leads to privilege escalation through an SQL injection involves manipulating SQL commands to alter user roles. SQL injection attacks exploit vulnerabilities in an application's software, allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary SQL code. By inserting malicious SQL statements into a query, an attacker can gain unauthorized access or modify data they normally wouldn't be able to access.

Specifically, by crafting SQL code that targets user roles or permissions within the database, an attacker may escalate access privileges to a higher level. For example, if a malicious SQL command is executed that alters a user's role from "user" to "admin," the attacker gains elevated privileges within the application. This kind of attack is particularly dangerous as it can grant full administrative access, enabling the attacker to perform further malicious activities within the application or the underlying system.

Other techniques mentioned, such as exploiting third-party APIs, injecting scripts into web forms, or redirecting web traffic, do not specifically focus on the direct manipulation of user roles through SQL queries, making them less relevant to SQL injection and privilege escalation scenarios.