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SQL Injection

SQL Injection

What is SQL injection (SQLi)?

SQL (Structured Query Language) Injection is a code injection technique used to modify or retrieve data from SQL databases. By inserting specific SQL statements, an attacker is able to execute commands that allow for the retrieval of data from the database, the destruction of sensitive data, or other manipulative behaviors.

With the proper SQL command execution, the unauthorized user is able to Spoof the identity of a more privileged user, make themselves or others database administrators, tamper with existing data, modify transactions and balances, and retrieve and/or destroy all server data.

In modern computing, SQL Injection typically occurs over the Internet by sending malicious SQL queries to an API endpoint provided by a website or service. In its most severe form, SQL Injection can allow an attacker to gain root access to a machine, giving them complete control.

 

How Does It Work?

Imagine a courtroom in which a man named David is on trial, and is about to appear before the judge. When filling out paperwork before the trial, David writes his name as “David is free to go”. When the judge reaches his case and reads aloud “Now calling David is free to go”, the police let David go because the judge said so.

While there are slightly different varieties of SQLi, the core vulnerability is essentially the same: a SQL query field that is supposed to be reserved for a particular type of data, such as a number is instead passed unexpected information, such as a command. The command, when run, escapes beyond the intended confines, allowing for potentially nefarious behavior. A query field is commonly populated from data entered into a form on a webpage.

SQLi works by targeting a vulnerable Application Programming Interface or API. An API is the software code/function through which a server receives and responds to requests. Commonly used tools exist that allow a malicious actor to automatically search through a website looking for forms, and then attempt to input various SQL queries that may generate a response that the website’s software developers did not intend in order to exploit the database.

SQL injections are easy to implement, and interestingly, also fairly easy to prevent given the proper development practices. The reality is murkier, as tight deadlines, inexperienced developers, and legacy code often result in variable code quality and security practices. A single vulnerable field on any form or API endpoint across a website that has access to a database may be sufficient to expose a vulnerability.

 

How To Prevent a SQL Injection Attack?

There are numerous methods for reducing the risk of a data breach due to SQL injection. As a best practice, several strategies should be utilized. More common implementations are:

  1. Use of Prepared Statements (with Parameterized Queries) - This method of sanitizing database inputs involves forcing the developers to first define all the SQL code, and then to pass only specific parameters to the SQL query; data entered is explicitly given a limited scope that it can not expand beyond. This allows the database to make the distinction between data that’s being input and code that’s to be run, regardless of the type of data supplied in the input field. Some object-relational mapping (ORM) libraries are commonly utilized for this purpose, as some versions will sanitize database inputs automatically.
  2. Escape All User Supplied Input - When writing SQL, specific characters or words have a particular meaning. For example, the ‘*’ character means “any” and the words “OR” is conditional. To circumvent users who enter these characters either accidentally or maliciously into an API request to the database, user-supplied input can be escaped. Escaping a character is the way of telling the database not to parse it as a command or conditional but instead treat it as literal input.
  3. Use of Stored Procedures - Although not a robust security strategy by itself, stored procedures can help limit the risk associated with SQL injection. By properly limiting the permissions of the database account running SQL queries, even a non-robust application code that is vulnerable to SQL injection will lack the permissions necessary to manipulate unrelated database tables. Stored procedures may also check the type of input parameters, preventing data to be input that violates the type the field is designed to receive. In instances where static queries are insufficient, stored procedures are typical to be avoided.
  4. Enforce Least Privilege - As a general rule, in all instances where a website needs to use dynamic SQL, it is important to reduce the exposure to SQL injection by limiting permissions to the narrowest scope required to execute the relevant query. In its most obvious form, this means that an administrative account should in no instance be executing SQL commands as a result of an API call from an unauthorized request. While stored procedures are best utilized for static queries, enforcing least privilege can help reduce the risks of dynamic SQL queries.

 

Compound SQL injection attack

In order to circumvent security measures, sometimes clever attackers implement multi-vector attacks against a target website. While a single attack may be neutralized, it can also become the focus of attention for database administrators and information security teams. DDoS attacks, DNS hijacking and other methods of disruption are sometimes used as a distraction to implement sweeping SQL injection attacks. As a result, a comprehensive threat mitigation strategy provides the widest range of protection.