Description

Improper neutralization of special elements used in an sql command ('sql injection') in Azure SQL Database allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "9.9",
  "pubDate": "2026-08-20T22:17:57.153Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-08-20T22:17:57.153Z",
  "executiveSummary": "An improper neutralization of special elements used in an SQL command vulnerability, commonly known as SQL injection, affects Azure SQL Database. This security flaw enables an authorized attacker to execute unauthorized database queries and commands, culminating in privilege escalation over a network vector.\nThe vulnerability exposes the database management system to malicious input manipulation where user-supplied data is improperly sanitized before being concatenated into dynamic SQL statements. An attacker leveraging this vector can bypass standard access controls and authorization boundaries enforced by the database engine.\nThe affected product is Azure SQL Database. The risk implications are severe, as successful exploitation compromises the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the database repository and potentially underlying system functions.\nPrerequisites for exploitation include network access to the target database instance and valid authorization credentials capable of initiating database interactions. The attacker capabilities involve issuing maliciously crafted SQL payloads designed to manipulate query logic and execute privileged operations.",
  "technicalDetails": "The root cause of the vulnerability stems from the inadequate validation, sanitization, and parameterization of inputs incorporated into dynamic SQL commands processed by Azure SQL Database. When user-supplied strings are directly concatenated into query execution strings without proper neutralization of special characters, the database interpreter misinterprets data inputs as executable SQL commands.\nThe vulnerable component resides within the SQL query processing and execution engine of Azure SQL Database, where dynamic SQL constructs fail to enforce strict separation between data contexts and command contexts. Authentication and authorization requirements dictate that the attacker must possess baseline access to the network and valid authorization credentials to interact with the database interface.\nThe attack flow proceeds in a sequential manner. First, the authorized attacker identifies an input vector or database interface that dynamically constructs SQL queries using unvalidated input. Second, the attacker crafts a specialized SQL injection payload containing malicious syntax designed to alter the intended abstract syntax tree of the database query. Third, the attacker transmits the payload across the network to the Azure SQL Database instance. Fourth, the database engine parses and executes the manipulated query string without proper sanitization. Finally, the injected commands execute within the execution context of a higher-privileged database role or account.\nPayload behavior involves injecting database control syntax, subqueries, or administrative stored procedure calls into the vulnerable parameter. Post-exploitation impact includes unauthorized data exfiltration, modification of database schemas, data destruction, and successful privilege escalation from a standard user role to administrative or higher-privileged database roles. This allows the attacker to execute arbitrary database administrative functions and potentially pivot to adjacent database resources."
}