SQL Injection Vulnerability Analysis and Mitigation

Author: Shibin Balakrishnan

1. Executive Summary

· A brief overview of SQL Injection, its definition, and common causes.

· High-level recommendations for mitigation

· Summary of findings:

o Application or system affected.

o Severity level of the vulnerability.

o Potential impacts on the application, including data breaches, unauthorized access, or system compromise.

· Objective: To identify and exploit SQL injection vulnerabilities in the target URL.

· Target URL: http://testphp.vulnweb.com/search.php?test=query

· Tools Used: SQLMap v1.8.11

3.1 URL Identification

· The target URL was identified for testing potential SQL injection vulnerabilities.

3.2 Initial SQLMap Execution

Command Executed:

· Results:

o Backend Database Management System (DBMS): MySQL

o Injection Point Identified: GET parameter test

3.3 SQLMap Tests

SQLMap was configured to perform tests using:

· Boolean-based blind

· Time-based blind

· Error-based injection

· UNION query injection

3.4 Detailed Results

Boolean-Based Blind:

o Payload: test=query’ AND EXTRACTVALUE(2684,CASE WHEN (2684=2684) THEN 2684 ELSE 0x3A END) — BFsb

o Status: Injectable

Time-Based Blind:

o Payload: test=query’ AND (SELECT 8716 FROM (SELECT(SLEEP(5)))Glzu) — XWwI

o Status: Injectable

UNION Query Injection:

o Payload: test=query’ UNION ALL SELECT NULL, NULL, NULL —

o Number of Columns: 3

Status: Injectable

3.5 Database Enumeration

To enumerate the available databases:

sqlmap -u “http://testphp.vulnweb.com/search.php?test=query" — dbs

Results:

· SQLMap resumed the following injection points:

o Parameter: test

§ Type: Boolean-based blind

§ Type: Time-based blind

§ Type: UNION query injection

4.1 Summary of Detected Vulnerabilities

· Vulnerability Type: SQL Injection

· Injection Methods:

o Boolean-Based Blind

o Time-Based Blind

o UNION Query Injection

· Risk Level: High

· Impact: Access to database information including structure, tables, and sensitive data.

4.2 Evidence

· The testing confirmed multiple injection points and payloads as described in the methodology section.

1.Input Validation:

1. Validate and sanitize all user inputs to prevent SQL injection.

2. Use parameterized queries or prepared statements.

Error Handling:

1. Implement generic error messages to avoid revealing database structure.

Database Security:

1. Restrict database user permissions to the minimum necessary.

2. Regularly update the DBMS to patch known vulnerabilities.

Security Testing:

The SQL injection vulnerability in the target URL was confirmed using SQLMap. Multiple techniques demonstrated the system’s susceptibility to data exploitation. Immediate remediation steps, as outlined, are critical to securing the system.