Web app security player NT OBJECTives has tabled a new penetration testing tool in the shape of NTO SQL Invader. This free release is targeted at testing pros and the wider development community as a means of identifying SQL injection vulnerabilities in online applications.
Vying to help "exploit and demonstrate" SQL injection vulnerabilities, NT OBJECTives says that "most organizations" understand that SQL injection vulnerabilities put their sensitive data at risk — as it has been the dominant method used in this year's high-profile web application attacks; with millions of sites attacked in 2011.
While SQL injections are comparatively well documented in their own right, NT OBJECTives argues that until now it has been difficult to determine if the vulnerability can actually be exploited because most existing SQL injection testing tools are executed from a command line without a supporting user interface. Without the ability to demonstrate the exploitability of a vulnerability, remediation efforts are naturally delayed.
NTO SQL Invader allows pen testers and developers to view the list of records, tables, and user accounts on the back-end database when a vulnerability surfaces. A user can exploit a web application vulnerability that was discovered manually or from a Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) tool like the company's own NTOSpider. NTO SQL Invader works as a standalone tool and includes integration with NTOSpider's reporting technology to identify and validate discovered vulnerabilities.
"Accurate vulnerability identification is a crucial and challenging task but it is only half the battle," says Dan Kuykendall, co-CEO and CTO of NT OBJECTives. "We wanted to support organizations in their analysis and remediation efforts by providing an easy to use tool that enables penetration testers to demonstrate how these vulnerabilities can be exploited. We felt it was important to provide a free and useful tool to our customers and to the entire community."
NTO SQL Invader's GUI interface enables users to paste the injectable request found by the DAST tool into NTO SQL Invader and then select "Start Detecting Injection" to identify the injectable parameter/input. Users can also feed a more detailed request straight into NTO SQL Invader from NTOSpider's report or BurpSuite. Once the injection is identified, the user is in control of how much information is harvested.
"Sometimes it just takes a compelling screenshot or video to silence the skeptics on the validity of a vulnerability. While the command-line tools are effective, they do not present polished, organized, or clear information in a presentation setting," said the company.
