This paper (A Classification of SQL Injection Attacks and Countermeasures) has an excellent section on Injection mechanisms – the way that sql code is modified to actually perform the injection attack – the attack vectors – user inputs
- cookies
- server variables
- second order injection (seeding an sql injection into a database in order for that attack to be triggered later)
A section on attack intent, outlines the various reasons for an attacker to want to exploit the database: