Applications that execute SQL commands should neutralize any externally-provided values used in those commands. Failure to do so could allow an attacker to include input that changes the query so that unintended commands are executed, or sensitive data is exposed.

This rule checks a variety of methods from different frameworks which are susceptible to SQL injection if not used properly. Frameworks which are covered are Java JDBC, JPA, JDO, Hibernate and Spring. The following specific method signatures are tested.

If a method is defined in an interface, implementations are also tested. For example this is the case for org.springframework.jdbc.core.JdbcOperations , which is usually used as org.springframework.jdbc.core.JdbcTemplate).

Noncompliant Code Example

public User getUser(Connection con, String user) throws SQLException {

  Statement stmt1 = null;
  Statement stmt2 = null;
  PreparedStatement pstmt;
  try {
    stmt1 = con.createStatement();
    ResultSet rs1 = stmt1.executeQuery("GETDATE()"); // Compliant; parameters not used here

    stmt2 = con.createStatement();
    ResultSet rs2 = stmt2.executeQuery("select FNAME, LNAME, SSN " +
                 "from USERS where UNAME=" + user);  // Noncompliant; parameter concatenated directly into query

    pstmt = con.prepareStatement("select FNAME, LNAME, SSN " +
                 "from USERS where UNAME=" + user);  // Noncompliant; parameter concatenated directly into query
    ResultSet rs3 = pstmt.executeQuery();

    //...
}

public User getUserHibernate(org.hibernate.Session session, String userInput) {

  org.hibernate.Query query = session.createQuery(  // Compliant
            "FROM students where fname = " + userInput);  // Noncompliant; parameter binding should be used instead
  // ...
}

Compliant Solution

public User getUser(Connection con, String user) throws SQLException {

  Statement stmt1 = null;
  PreparedStatement pstmt = null;
  String query = "select FNAME, LNAME, SSN " +
                 "from USERS where UNAME=?"
  try {
    stmt1 = con.createStatement();
    ResultSet rs1 = stmt1.executeQuery("GETDATE()");

    pstmt = con.prepareStatement(query);
    pstmt.setString(1, user);  // Compliant; PreparedStatements escape their inputs.
    ResultSet rs2 = pstmt.executeQuery();

    //...
  }
}

public User getUserHibernate(org.hibernate.Session session, String userInput) {

  org.hibernate.Query query =  session.createQuery("FROM students where fname = ?");
  query = query.setParameter(0,userInput);  // Parameter binding escapes all input
  // ...

See