How do cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks compromise web applications?

Cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks compromise web applications by injecting malicious scripts into web pages viewed by users. These scripts can then execute in the context of the victim’s web browser, allowing the attacker to access cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information stored within the browser. This stolen information can be used by the attacker for various malicious purposes, such as identity theft, account takeover, or financial fraud. To prevent XSS attacks, web developers should sanitize user input, encode output properly, and implement security mechanisms like Content Security Policy (CSP) to mitigate the risk of script injection.