Column name in SQL query from request - c#

I was given a task to rewrite an old web API.
This API reads SQL queries from the database.
There's literally a view with "Queries" in the name which contains "SqlText" column.
SELECT SqlText FROM Queries WHERE QueryID = 123
The "SqlText" contains only simple SQL queries in the format SELECT [columns] FROM [table] by convention.
The query is altered depending on the URL parameters in the request. The result of this query is then shown as result.
string parsedColumns = ParseColumns(queryRow); //contains "Column1, Column2";
string parsedTable = ParseTable(queryRow); //contains "SomeTable"
string requestColumns = HttpContext.Request["columns"];
string sqlColumns = requestColumns ?? parsedColumns;
string col1Condition = HttpContext.Request["Column1"]
string col2Condition = HttpContext.Request["Column2"]
string sqlQuery = "SELECT " + sqlColumns
+ " FROM " + parsedTable
+ " WHERE Column1 = " + col1Condition
+ " AND Column2 = " + col2Condition;
This is obvious SQL injection issue so I started rewritting it.
Now there are three other problems.
I cannot change the structure of the database or the convention
The database is either Oracle or SQL Server
I don't know how to correctly work with the "columns" URL parameter to avoid SQL injection.
It's easy to convert the URL parameters in the WHERE clause to the SQL parameters for both SQL Server and Oracle.
SQL Server
var sqlCommand = new SqlCommand("SELECT * FROM SomeTable WHERE Condition1 = #con1 AND Condition2 = #con2");
Oracle
var oracleCommand = new OracleCommand("SELECT * FROM SomeTable WHERE Condition1 = :con1 AND Condition2 = :con2");
Column identifiers
The problem is with the HttpContext.Request["columns"]. I still need to somehow alter the SQL query string with URL parameters which I don't like at all.
To simplify the issue, let's consider a single column from URL request.
string column = HttpContext.Request["column"];
var cmd = new SqlCommand($"SELECT {column} FROM ...");
I know that in SQL Server the identifier can be surrounded by braces. So my line of thinking is that I'm safe if I strip all braces from the column.
string column = HttpContext.Request["column"];
column = column.Replace("[", "").Replace("]", "");
column = $"[{column}]";
var cmd = new SqlCommand($"SELECT {column} FROM ...");
Oracle uses quotation marks.
string column = HttpContext.Request["column"];
column = column.Replace("\"", "");
column = $"\"{column}\"";
var cmd = new OracleCommand($"SELECT {column} FROM ...");
The question
Is this sql-injection safe enough?
Or is this use case inherently sql-injection unsafe?

Since you are working with a basic program design that you cannot change what about just trying to add edits to the input to look for injection elements. For example if the input is a column name it will need to have a maximum length of 30 (before 12.x) characters and should not contain a semicolon or the strings " OR" or " AND" in them. While not a perfect solution this should be practical solution.

Related

C# SQLite multiple keyword with like command

I used SQLite. The user will pull the days from checkbox and I'll show it in data grid view but the date is recorded as day and time so I have to use like instead of in command.
DataSet dataSet122;
listBox1.Items.Clear();
SQLiteConnection connection = new SQLiteConnection("Data Source =log.sqlite;Version=3;");
string search = checkBoxComboBox1.Text;
string[] array = search.Split(',');
for (int i = 0; i < array.Length; i++)
{
array[i] = "'" + array[i] + "'";
}
string names = String.Join(",", array);
listBox2.Items.Add(names);
string query = "SELECT * FROM Gemkay1 WHERE ZAMAN LIKE (" + names + ")";
command = new SQLiteCommand(query, connection);
connection.Open();
adapter = new SQLiteDataAdapter(command);
dataSet122 = new DataSet();
adapter.Fill(dataSet122, "Gemkay1");
dataGridViewSummary1.DataSource = dataSet122.Tables["Gemkay1"];
SQL syntax for all people where name ends with SMITH or WRIGHT:
WHERE name LIKE '%SMITH' OR name LIKE '%WRIGHT'
LIKE is not the same as IN - it accepts a single string argument on the right hand side. If you want multiple LIKEs you must repeat the LIKE clause separated by OR
IN can be used with multiple string but it does not accept wildcards:
WHERE name IN ('playwright', 'cartwright', 'shipwright')
If you try and put a wildcard in it will literally match that character.
-
As an aside, don't make SQL like you're doing there, with string concatenation of the values. Concatenate parameters in instead and give them values, for example:
var names = new []{"%wright", "%smith"};
var sql = new SqliteCommand("SELECT * FROM t WHERE 1=0 ");
for(int p = 0; p<names.Length; p++){
sql.CommandText += " OR name like #p" + p;
sql.Parameters.AddWithValue("#p"+p, names[p]);
}
This I what I mean when I say "concatenate parameters in, then give them a value".
If you ever work with sqlserver read this blog post
Use IN operator to select data where multiple values
"SELECT * FROM Gemkay1 WHERE ZAMAN IN ('2021-02-01','2021-02-02')";
to ignore time from date you can use date function:
"SELECT * FROM Gemkay1 WHERE date(ZAMAN) IN ('2021-02-01','2021-02-02')";
See SQLite date and time functions documentation for more info.

C# String Parameters to protect against injection?

Take this code as an example:
IAmazonSimpleDB client = new AmazonSimpleDBClient(Amazon.RegionEndpoint.USEast1);
SelectResponse response = client.Select(new SelectRequest() {
SelectExpression = "SELECT * FROM `foo` where FooID = '" + id + "'" });
I can rewrite it as such:
IAmazonSimpleDB client = new AmazonSimpleDBClient(Amazon.RegionEndpoint.USEast1);
SelectResponse response = client.Select(new SelectRequest() {
SelectExpression = "SELECT * FROM `foo` where FooID = '{0}'", id });
But from my understanding, that still leaves it vulnerable to injection right?
Is there anything else I can do here? We aren't using SQL so I can't do SQL Parameters.
I usually do a check to see if the id is an integer. That way you will get an exception or a Boolean value if it isn't an int. It will work fine unless you are using GUID values.
var isNumeric = int.TryParse("123", out int n); //Will give a bool
Int32.Parse(yourString); //This will give an exception if it is not an possible integer
If it's anything more than that then you could use a Regex expression to look for strange values and remove characters that shouldn't be there such as spaces. Most SQL injection attacks wont work if there's no spaces... I think. Removing all the spaces is pretty easy and I would assume your ID (even if it is complex) won't include spaces.
string s = " "
string t = s.Replace(" ", ""). //It will be hard to do a sql attack if the spaces are removed.
A little off topic but with C# 6.0 you can format string differentlyl; It's a new feature called "string interpolation" (thanks Etienne de Martel).
$"SELECT * FROM `foo` where FooID = '{id}'"

Invalid Column Name: "value" - Error Even though it works in another form.

I am stuck at one problem and I just can't solve this.
I get this Error:
Error Message
That's the relevant table
The Code:
SqlConnection connection = new SqlConnection(connectionString);
connection.Open();
string query = "UPDATE CAC SET nextMaintainance = #nextMaintainance WHERE department = " + #departmentCB.Text;
SqlCommand command = new SqlCommand(query, connection);
command.Parameters.AddWithValue("#nextMaintainance", nextMaintainanceDT.Value);
command.ExecuteNonQuery();
The weird thing I don't understand is that a similar code works just fine without any error in my project:
query = "UPDATE LDV SET received = #received, department = #department WHERE Id =" + #idTxt.Text;
command = new SqlCommand(query, connection);
command.Parameters.AddWithValue("#received", inDT.Value);
command.Parameters.AddWithValue("#department", departmentCb.Text);
command.ExecuteNonQuery();
MessageBox.Show("Lungenautomat wurde aktualisiert");
If relevant, my connection string:
connectionString = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["SCBA_Manager_0._1.Properties.Settings.SCBAmanagerConnectionString"].ConnectionString;
I really hope you can help me :(
Thank you!
The department column is a text column, so comparing it to a value means the value should be wrapped in quotes.
// This fix is not the recommended approach, see the explanation after this code block
string query = "UPDATE CAC SET nextMaintainance = #nextMaintainance WHERE department = '" + departmentCB.Text + "'";
// ^--------------------------^------ single quote added to wrap the value returned by departmentCB.Text
On the other hand, this error does not occur in your second example, because there you're correctly using the Parameters.AddWithValue() method to add the value for the #department parameter, and because id is a numeric column, so it doesn't require the value wrapped in quotes.
However, while the code shown above does the job, it is not the right way of doing the job. The correct way is to used parameters for all values to be injected into a query. The queries you've shown above are already correctly using parameters for some values (e.g. nextMaintenance in the first query, received and department in the second), but are incorrectly doing string concatenation for other values (e.g. department in the first query, id in the second).
Usage of Parameterized SQL
The benefit of using parameterized SQL is that it automatically takes care of adding quotes, prevents SQL injection, etc.
Therefore, its best to change your first code block to:
SqlConnection connection = new SqlConnection(connectionString);
connection.Open();
string query = "UPDATE CAC SET nextMaintainance = #nextMaintainance WHERE department = #department";
SqlCommand command = new SqlCommand(query, connection);
command.Parameters.AddWithValue("#department", departmentCb.Text);
command.Parameters.AddWithValue("#nextMaintainance", nextMaintainanceDT.Value);
command.ExecuteNonQuery();
Notice how the string query is a single string without any messy concatenation, and that it contains two parameters #nextMaintenance and #department? And how the values for those parameters are correctly injected using Parameters.AddWithValue() in the following lines?
Your second code block can be similarly improved by using a parameter for the Id column.
query = "UPDATE LDV SET received = #received, department = #department WHERE Id = #Id ";
command.Parameters.AddWithValue("#Id", idTxt.Text);
Further Information
Do read up about SQL injection ( https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms161953(v=sql.105).aspx ) to see how using string concatenation like your original code can lead to various security issues, and why parameterized queries are the preferred way of injecting dynamic values into SQL queries.
You can read up more about parameterized queries here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/yy6y35y8(v=vs.110).aspx
In your first example, the WHERE clause evaluates to
WHERE department = Kasseedorf
wheras it should be
WHERE department = 'Kasseedorf'
So the line should be
string query = "UPDATE CAC SET nextMaintainance = #nextMaintainance WHERE department = '" + #departmentCB.Text +"'";
It works in the second example, because id is an integer and doesn't neet quotes.

How to remove the double quotes variable in c#

My project has different SQL Server DataTable. I will bind the data from user request table. so got table name as
Example:
table = "MyTable"
How to write the SQL query for select the particular table.
con.open();
SqlAdaptor da = new SqlAdaptor ("select * from '" + table.replace(""", "\"")" + '")
cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
My replace is not working so I hope to any one resolve my issue.
Just escape " character?1
table.Replace("\"", string.Empty);
Also you don't need single quotes for your table name. By the way if you get this table as an input, I will strongly suggest do some strong validation before you put it in your query or use a whitelist.
You didn't show us rest of your code but use using statement to dispose your connection and adapter objects.
1: Since it is an escape sequence character
You can also try
SqlAdaptor da = new SqlAdaptor ("Select * from " + table.Replace('"', ' ').Trim());
string table = "MyTable";
table.Replace('\"', ' '); //Or
table.Replace('\"',string.Empty);

Properly check if a record already exists in a database

I have read other questions on this, but it does not help for the most part.
Trying to check if a file has already been uploaded(filename is sent to this table) before creating another record and allowing them to upload the same file again.
I am using this code and it keeps telling me every file is a new file, even when I use the same file for testing. Obviously it should result in "Exists". Connection is already established using "this.Master.Conn" so please no SQLCommand stuff.
I even tried using wildcards in the query.
private string SQLCheck(string FileName)
{
string Check = "Select VideoURL from TrainingVideo2 where VideoURL Like '" + FileName +"' and Status=1;";
Object ob = this.Master.Conn.ExecuteSqlScalarCommand(Check);
string Result;
if (DBNull.Value.Equals(ob))
{
Result = "Exists";
}
else
{
Result = "NewFile";
}
return Result;
}
Also, does anybody have a better(more efficient) way of doing this?
Trying to basically rewrite this in c#.
Private Function CheckName(name As String) As Int32
Dim sql As String = "SELECT ID FROM Company Where Name Like '" & name & "' "
Dim ob As Object = Conn.ExecuteSqlScalarCommand(sql)
If IsDBNull(ob) Then
Return 0
Else
Return CInt(ob)
End If
End Function
There are new and more innovative methods devised to get around the simple "replace all ` and " characters with ..." SQL injection prevention techniques. In your case, if the VideoURL happens to be a varchar (and not nvarchar), then using unicode character U+02BC (URL encoded = %CA%BC) would pass in a quote character as a unicode string, which would bypass your C# checks, but SQL Server will conveniently convert to a quote character in your query. This is just one example of why you should not be doing this :).
In terms of you check, I always prefer using TOP 1 to let SQL Server cut a potential table scan short. So, I would use this query:
Select TOP 1 SomeNonNullIntColumn from TrainingVideo2 where VideoURL Like ... and Status=1;
Execute the query with ExecuteScalar. If the result is null, then the record does not exist.
Never build up an SQL string like that. See SQL injection.
Why are you using like? Do you really have Sql wildcards in that fileName?
Example (sorry for the "SqlCommand stuff", but it's important):
string sql = "select count(*) from TrainingVideo2 where VideoURL = #Name and Status=1"
using (SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection(connString))
{
SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand(sql, conn);
cmd.Parameters.Add("#Name", fileName);
conn.Open();
return (Int32)cmd.ExecuteScalar() > 0;
}

Categories

Resources