Several years back, building websites was a simple task, with no CSS, no JavaScript, and a few images. But now, the web has gained popularity and demands attractive displays. The need for dynamic websites and advanced technology has increased. This demand led to the development of Common Gateway Interface (CGI) and server-side scripting languages, such as JSP, ASP, and PHP.
Websites are now more advanced and started storing site content and user input in databases. With the more technical advancement, cybercriminals discover advanced attack vectors and use sophisticated ways to attack their targets. As long as developers use relational databases in web applications, the risk of SQL injection attacks has increased.
This article will highlight the most popular tools to perform SQL injection attacks.
Here is the table of contents:
What is SQL Injection?
SQL injection is the most common technique of website attack. It allows hackers to gain unauthorized access to a website database by adding malicious code to the database query. An SQLi manipulates SQL code to give access to sensitive data or run malicious SQL statements.
A SQL injection can expose customer-sensitive data, intellectual property, or administrative credentials to private businesses when these statements are executed successfully. Actions a successful attacker can take on a compromised target include:
- Stealing/Exfiltrating data
- Bypassing authentication
- Corrupting or modifying data
- Deleting data
- Gaining root access to the system
- Running arbitrary code
Best SQL Injection Tools
Here are some of the best SQL injection tools to perform automatic SQLi attacks against the target applications.
SQLmap
SQLmap is an open-source tool that automates the process of identifying and exploiting SQL injection flaws. This tool has a robust detection engine and a wide range of switches that last from database fingerprinting. It provides full support from MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL, Oracle, SQLite, etc.
Key Features:
- It supports six SQL injection techniques: time-based blind, boolean-based blind, UNION query-based, error-based, out-of-band, and stacked queries.
- Directly connect to the database without passing through a SQL injection by providing an IP address, DBMS credentials, port, and database name.
- Automatic recognition of hash formats and support for cracking passwords using a dictionary-based attack.
- Support enumerating users, privileges, password hashes, databases, roles, columns, and tables.
- Execute arbitrary commands and fetch their standard output on the operating system’s database server.
Learn How to Scan SQL Injection Vulnerable Sites using Sqlmap.
NoSQLMap
NoSQLMap is an open-source Python tool designed to automate injection attacks and exploit configuration vulnerabilities in NoSQL databases and web applications through NoSQL to clone or disclose data from the database. The project aims to provide a penetration testing tool to simplify attacks on web applications and MongoDB servers.
Key Features:
- Automated CouchDB and MongoDB database enumeration and cloning attacks.
- Scanning IP lists or subnets for CouchDB or MongoDB databases with enumerating versions and default access.
- Extraction of database users, names, and passwords hashes via MongoDB web applications.
- Brute force password cracking of recovered CouchDB and MongoDB hashes.
- JavaScript arbitrary code injection and function variable escaping to return all database records.
- PHP application parameter injection against MongoClient to return database records.
Safe3 SQL injector
Safe3 SQL injector is a powerful and easy-to-use SQL injection tool. It also makes the SQL injection process automatic and assists attackers in gaining access to a remote SQL database server by exploiting SQL injection vulnerability. It recognizes the database server with its powerful AI system and provides the best way to exploit vulnerabilities.
Key Features:
- Provides support for HTTP and HTTPS websites.
- Full support for Digest, Basic, NTLM HTTP authentications.
- Powerful AI engine to automate SQL injection.
- Support to enumerate columns, data, tables, and databases.
- Execute arbitrary commands and fetch their standard output on the server underlying operating system.
- Full support for Get, Post, and Cookie SQL injection.
SQLNinja
SQLninja is a SQL injection tool exploiting web applications that use Microsoft SQL Server as the back-end. This tool provides remote access to the vulnerable database server, even in a hostile environment. It’s best for penetration testers to automate taking over a database server when a SQL injection vulnerability is discovered.
Key Features:
- It takes the fingerprint of the remote SQL server.
- Extract data via a DNS tunnel, or it’s time-based.
- Provides integration with Metasploit3 to get graphical access to a remote DB server using a VNC server injection.
- Upload executables using normal HTTP requests.
- Supports direct and reverse shell, both UDP and TCP.
- Provides privilege escalation to sysadmin groups.
BSQL Hacker
BSQL hacker is an automatic SQL injection tool that helps you perform an SQLi attack against web applications. It is mainly made for Blind SQL injection. BSQL hacker is fast and performs a multi-threaded attack for quicker and better results. It comes in GUI and terminal support. Moreover, it supports multiple injection points, such as HTTP headers, query-string, POST, and cookies.
Key Features:
- Automatic attack support for ORACLE, MySQL, MSSQL.
- There are four different SQL injection support: Blind SQL injection, deep blind SQL injection, time-based Blind SQL injection, and error-based SQL injection.
- Automate most of the advanced SQL methods relying on Blind SQL injection.
- Automatically extract all database schema.
- Allow to share and save SQL injection exploits.
- Supports auto-update and provides custom GUI support for exploits.
JSQL Injection
JSQL injection is a Java-based tool used to perform automatic SQL database injection. It’s a lightweight application used to gather database information from a distant server. jSQL is a free, open-source, cross-platform for Linux, Mac, and Windows. Moreover, it’s a part of the official penetration testing distribution of Kali Linux, and it is included in other distributions, including Parrot Security OS, Pentest Box, and BlackArch Linux.
Key Features:
- Provides multiple injection strategies, such as Error, Normal, Time, and Blind.
- Supports various injection processes, such as Zip, Default, Dios.
- List to inject multiple targets.
- Script sandboxed for tampering and SQL.
- Create and display SQL shell and web shell.
- Authenticate using Digest, Basic, Kerberos, and NTLM.
- Proxy connection on SOCKS4, SOCKS5, and HTTP.
Zeus Scanner
Zeus is an advanced exploration utility designed to make web applications simple. It comes complete with a robust built-in URL parsing engine and multiple search engine compatibility. Moreover, it can extract URLs from the ban and web cache URL, run multiple vulnerability assessments on the target, and bypass search engine captchas.
Key Features:
- It has a powerful built-in URL parsing engine.
- Provides multiple search engine capabilities.
- It can extract URLs from Google’s ban and bypass IP blocks.
- Proxy compatibility with HTTP, HTTPS, SOCKS4, and SOCKS5.
- It can run with a custom user agent.
- Provides automatic issue creation whenever an unexpected error occurs.
- Detects IDS/IPS/WAF protection of over 20 different firewalls.
Final Words
There are multiple automatic SQL injection tools that you can use to perform SQL injection attacks. In this article, we have discussed some best tools used for SQL injection. You can pick any of these tools based on your requirements and check for SQL injection vulnerabilities in your website. Apart from it, we have highlighted various features of these tools to help you choose the best one for you.
Learn also: How to Brute-Force SSH in Linux
