JSON (Javascript Object Notation)

JSON is used in Javascript on the Internet as an alternative to XML for organizing data. Like XML, JSON is language-independent and may be combined with C++, Java, Python, LISP and many other languages. Unlike XML, however, JSON is simply a way to represent data structures, as opposed to a full markup language. JSON documents are relatively lightweight and are rapidly executed on Web server.

JSON consists of "name : object" pairs and punctuation in the form of brackets, parentheses, semi-colons and colons. Each object is defined with an operator like "text :" or "image :" and then grouped with a value for that operator. The simple structure and absence of mathematical notation or algorithms, JSON is easy to understand and quickly mastered, even by users with limited formal programming experience, which has spurred adoption of the format as a quick, approachable way to create interactive pages.

Novice users of JSON need to be aware of potential security implications. As JSON scripts automatically execute in any Web page that's requested by a Web browser, they can be used to implement JavaScript insertion attacks against a Web client, like a command injection or cross-site scripting. For example, if a hacker inserts non-JSON code into the string, like a Trojan horse, the targeted algorithm executes the text in as if it were Javascript and then returns the value of the last statement. If the only statement was a JSON value, there's no effect. If a previous statement contains other Javascript code, however, that code will be executed by the script. The hacker might then have access to all the variables a script has access to, potentially compromising a user's PC.

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More resources from around the web: - JSON.org provides more information about the JSON data interchange format. - Hunlock.com published a useful tutorial, "Mastering JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)." - Developer.com explains how to speed up AJAX with JSON. - The Yahoo! Developer Network explains how to use JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) with Yahoo! Web Services. - Wikipedia provides more information concerning potential security issues surrounding JSON.

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