Blind SQL injection

What is blind SQL injection?

Blind SQL injection is a type of SQL injection where the attacker does not receive an obvious response from the attacked database and instead reconstructs the database structure step-by-step by observing the behavior of the database server and the application. Blind SQL injection is also called inferential SQL injection.

There are two types of blind SQL injections: boolean-based and time-based.

Consequences of blind SQL injection

Performing an attack using blind SQL injections takes much longer than in the case of in-band SQL injections but can yield the same results. Based on the behavior of the database server and the application, the attacker may be able to do the following:

• Check if other types of SQL injections are possible
• Get information about the structure of the database
• Get data out of the database

What is boolean-based blind SQL injection?

Boolean-based blind SQL injection is a subtype of blind SQL injection where the attacker observes the behavior of the database server and the application after combining legitimate queries with malicious data using boolean operators.

Example of boolean-based blind SQL injection

As an example, let’s assume that the following query is meant to display details of a product from the database.

SELECT * FROM products WHERE id = product_id

At first, a malicious hacker uses the application in a legitimate way to discover at least one existing product ID – in this example, it’s product 42. Then, they can provide the following two values for product_id:

42 AND 1=1

42 AND 1=0

If this query is executed in the application using simple string concatenation, the query becomes respectively:

SELECT * FROM products WHERE id = 42 and 1=1

SELECT * FROM products WHERE id = 42 and 1=0

If the application behaves differently in each case, it is susceptible to boolean-based blind SQL injections.

If the database server is Microsoft SQL Server, the attacker can now supply the following value for product_id:

42 AND (SELECT TOP 1 substring(name, 1, 1)

  FROM sysobjects

  WHERE id=(SELECT TOP 1 id

    FROM (SELECT TOP 1 id

      FROM sysobjects

      ORDER BY id)

    AS subq

    ORDER BY id DESC)) = 'a'

As a result, the sub-query in parentheses after 42 AND checks whether the name of the first table in the database starts with the letter a. If true, the application will behave the same as for the payload 42 AND 1=1. If false, the application will behave the same as for the payload 42 AND 1=0. 

The attacker can iterate through all letters and then go on to the second letter, third letter, etc. As a result, the attacker can discover the full name of the first table in the database structure. They can then try to get more data about the structure of this table and finally – extract data from the table. While this example is specific to MS SQL, similar techniques exist for other database types.

What is time-based blind SQL injection?

Time-based blind SQL injection is a subtype of blind SQL injection where the attacker observes the behavior of the database server and the application after combining legitimate queries with SQL commands that cause time delays.

Example of time-based blind SQL injection

Let’s say we have the same query as in the example above:

SELECT * FROM products WHERE id = product_id

A malicious hacker may provide the following product_id value:

42; WAITFOR DELAY '0:0:10'

As a result, the query becomes:

SELECT * FROM products WHERE id = 1; WAITFOR DELAY '0:0:10'

If the database server is Microsoft SQL Server and the application is susceptible to time-based blind SQL injections, the attacker will see a 10-second delay in the application.

Now that the attacker knows that time-based blind SQL injections are possible, they can provide the following product_id:

42; IF(EXISTS(SELECT TOP 1 *

  FROM sysobjects

  WHERE id=(SELECT TOP 1 id

    FROM (SELECT TOP 1 id

      FROM sysobjects

      ORDER BY id)

    AS subq

    ORDER BY id DESC)

  AND ascii(lower(substring(name, 1, 1))) = 'a'))

  WAITFOR DELAY '0:0:10'

If the name of the first table in the database structure begins with the letter a, the second part of this query will be true, and the application will react with a 10-second delay. Just like for boolean-based blind SQL injections above, the attacker can use this method repeatedly to discover the name of the first table in the database structure, then try to get more data about the table structure of this table and finally extract data from the table.

How to prevent blind SQL injection vulnerabilities?

The only fully effective way to prevent all types of SQLi vulnerabilities in web applications, including blind SQLi, is to use parameterized queries (also known as prepared statements) to access SQL databases. If your programming language does not support parameterized queries but your database engine supports stored procedures, you may use stored procedures with prepared statements instead. Relying purely on other prevention methods such as whitelists, blacklists, or input filtering/escaping, is not recommended. Malicious hackers may find a way around such sanitization.