CA2100: Review SQL queries for security vulnerabilities

Cause

A method sets the System.Data.IDbCommand.CommandText property by using a string that is built from a string argument to the method.

Rule Description

This rule assumes that the string argument contains user input. A SQL command string that is built from user input is vulnerable to SQL injection attacks. In a SQL injection attack, a malicious user supplies input that alters the design of a query in an attempt to damage or gain unauthorized access to the underlying database. Typical techniques include injection of a single quotation mark or apostrophe, which is the SQL literal string delimiter; two dashes, which signifies a SQL comment; and a semicolon, which indicates that a new command follows. If user input must be part of the query, use one of the following, listed in order of effectiveness, to reduce the risk of attack.

• Use a stored procedure.

• Use a parameterized command string.

• Validate the user input for both type and content before you build the command string.

  The following .NET Framework types implement the CommandText property or provide constructors that set the property by using a string argument.

• System.Data.Odbc.OdbcCommand and System.Data.Odbc.OdbcDataAdapter

• System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand and System.Data.OleDb.OleDbDataAdapter

• System.Data.OracleClient.OracleCommand and System.Data.OracleClient.OracleDataAdapter

• [System.Data.SqlServerCe.SqlCeCommand]() and [System.Data.SqlServerCe.SqlCeDataAdapter]()

• System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand and System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataAdapter

  Notice that this rule is violated when the ToString method of a type is used explicitly or implicitly to construct the query string. The following is an example.

int x = 10;
string query = "SELECT TOP " + x.ToString() + " FROM Table";

The rule is violated because a malicious user can override the ToString() method.

The rule also is violated when ToString is used implicitly.

int x = 10;
string query = String.Format("SELECT TOP {0} FROM Table", x);

How to Fix Violations

To fix a violation of this rule, use a parameterized query.

When to Suppress Warnings

It is safe to suppress a warning from this rule if the command text does not contain any user input.

Example

The following example shows a method, UnsafeQuery, that violates the rule and a method, SaferQuery, that satisfies the rule by using a parameterized command string.

#using <System.dll>
#using <System.Data.dll>
#using <System.EnterpriseServices.dll>
#using <System.Transactions.dll>
#using <System.Xml.dll>
using namespace System;
using namespace System::Data;
using namespace System::Data::SqlClient;

namespace SecurityLibrary
{
   public ref class SqlQueries
   {
   public:
      Object^ UnsafeQuery(
         String^ connection, String^ name, String^ password)
      {
         SqlConnection^ someConnection = gcnew SqlConnection(connection);
         SqlCommand^ someCommand = gcnew SqlCommand();
         someCommand->Connection = someConnection;

         someCommand->CommandText = String::Concat(
            "SELECT AccountNumber FROM Users WHERE Username='", 
            name, "' AND Password='", password, "'");

         someConnection->Open();
         Object^ accountNumber = someCommand->ExecuteScalar();
         someConnection->Close();
         return accountNumber;
      }

      Object^ SaferQuery(
         String^ connection, String^ name, String^ password)
      {
         SqlConnection^ someConnection = gcnew SqlConnection(connection);
         SqlCommand^ someCommand = gcnew SqlCommand();
         someCommand->Connection = someConnection;

         someCommand->Parameters->Add(
            "@username", SqlDbType::NChar)->Value = name;
         someCommand->Parameters->Add(
            "@password", SqlDbType::NChar)->Value = password;
         someCommand->CommandText = "SELECT AccountNumber FROM Users "  
            "WHERE Username=@username AND Password=@password";

         someConnection->Open();
         Object^ accountNumber = someCommand->ExecuteScalar();
         someConnection->Close();
         return accountNumber;
      }
   };
}

using namespace SecurityLibrary;

void main()
{
   SqlQueries^ queries = gcnew SqlQueries();
   queries->UnsafeQuery(Environment::GetCommandLineArgs()[1], 
      "' OR 1=1 --", "anything");
   // Resultant query (which is always true): 
   // SELECT AccountNumber FROM Users WHERE Username='' OR 1=1

   queries->SaferQuery(Environment::GetCommandLineArgs()[1], 
      "' OR 1 = 1 --", "anything");
   // Resultant query (notice the additional single quote character):
   // SELECT AccountNumber FROM Users WHERE Username=''' OR 1=1 --'
   //                                   AND Password='anything'
}

using System;
using System.Data;
using System.Data.SqlClient;

namespace SecurityLibrary
{
   public class SqlQueries
   {
      public object UnsafeQuery(
         string connection, string name, string password)
      {
         SqlConnection someConnection = new SqlConnection(connection);
         SqlCommand someCommand = new SqlCommand();
         someCommand.Connection = someConnection;

         someCommand.CommandText = "SELECT AccountNumber FROM Users " +
            "WHERE Username='" + name + 
            "' AND Password='" + password + "'";

         someConnection.Open();
         object accountNumber = someCommand.ExecuteScalar();
         someConnection.Close();
         return accountNumber;
      }

      public object SaferQuery(
         string connection, string name, string password)
      {
         SqlConnection someConnection = new SqlConnection(connection);
         SqlCommand someCommand = new SqlCommand();
         someCommand.Connection = someConnection;

         someCommand.Parameters.Add(
            "@username", SqlDbType.NChar).Value = name;
         someCommand.Parameters.Add(
            "@password", SqlDbType.NChar).Value = password;
         someCommand.CommandText = "SELECT AccountNumber FROM Users " + 
            "WHERE Username=@username AND Password=@password";

         someConnection.Open();
         object accountNumber = someCommand.ExecuteScalar();
         someConnection.Close();
         return accountNumber;
      }
   }

   class MalaciousCode
   {
      static void Main(string[] args)
      {
         SqlQueries queries = new SqlQueries();
         queries.UnsafeQuery(args[0], "' OR 1=1 --", "anything");
         // Resultant query (which is always true): 
         // SELECT AccountNumber FROM Users WHERE Username='' OR 1=1

         queries.SaferQuery(args[0], "' OR 1 = 1 --", "anything");
         // Resultant query (notice the additional single quote character):
         // SELECT AccountNumber FROM Users WHERE Username=''' OR 1=1 --'
         //                                   AND Password='anything'
      }
   }
}

Imports System
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Data.SqlClient

Namespace SecurityLibrary

   Public Class SqlQueries

      Function UnsafeQuery(connection As String, _ 
         name As String, password As String) As Object
      
         Dim someConnection As New SqlConnection(connection)
         Dim someCommand As New SqlCommand()
         someCommand.Connection = someConnection

         someCommand.CommandText = "SELECT AccountNumber FROM Users " & _ 
            "WHERE Username='" & name & "' AND Password='" & password & "'"

         someConnection.Open()
         Dim accountNumber As Object = someCommand.ExecuteScalar()
         someConnection.Close()
         Return accountNumber

      End Function

      Function SaferQuery(connection As String, _ 
         name As String, password As String) As Object
      
         Dim someConnection As New SqlConnection(connection)
         Dim someCommand As New SqlCommand()
         someCommand.Connection = someConnection

         someCommand.Parameters.Add( _ 
            "@username", SqlDbType.NChar).Value = name
         someCommand.Parameters.Add( _ 
            "@password", SqlDbType.NChar).Value = password
         someCommand.CommandText = "SELECT AccountNumber FROM Users " & _  
            "WHERE Username=@username AND Password=@password"

         someConnection.Open()
         Dim accountNumber As Object = someCommand.ExecuteScalar()
         someConnection.Close()
         Return accountNumber

      End Function

   End Class 

   Class MalaciousCode

      Shared Sub Main(args As String())
      
         Dim queries As New SqlQueries()
         queries.UnsafeQuery(args(0), "' OR 1=1 --", "anything")
         ' Resultant query (which is always true): 
         ' SELECT AccountNumber FROM Users WHERE Username='' OR 1=1

         queries.SaferQuery(args(0), "' OR 1 = 1 --", "anything")
         ' Resultant query (notice the additional single quote character):
         ' SELECT AccountNumber FROM Users WHERE Username=''' OR 1=1 --' 
         '                                   AND Password='anything'
      End Sub

   End Class

End Namespace

See Also

Security Overview