CVE-2010-3681 in MySQL
Summary
by MITRE
Oracle MySQL 5.1 before 5.1.49 and 5.5 before 5.5.5 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (mysqld daemon crash) by using the HANDLER interface and performing "alternate reads from two indexes on a table," which triggers an assertion failure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-3681 represents a critical denial of service weakness in Oracle MySQL database systems affecting versions prior to 5.1.49 and 5.5.5. This flaw specifically targets the mysqld daemon through manipulation of the HANDLER interface, demonstrating a significant security gap that could be exploited by authenticated remote attackers to disrupt database operations. The vulnerability operates at the core level of database management, where the assertion failure occurs during specific indexing operations that should normally be handled gracefully by the system.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the HANDLER interface, which provides direct access to storage engine tables and allows for low-level operations including index traversal and data manipulation. When attackers execute alternate reads from two indexes on a table through this interface, the system encounters an assertion failure that causes the mysqld daemon to crash and terminate unexpectedly. This assertion failure represents a fundamental flaw in the MySQL storage engine's handling of concurrent index operations, where the system fails to properly validate or manage the interaction between multiple index access patterns. The vulnerability operates under CWE-121, which categorizes buffer overflow conditions, and more specifically aligns with CWE-248, indicating an exposure of an exception handling weakness that leads to system instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as database crashes can result in data integrity concerns, transaction rollbacks, and extended downtime for applications dependent on the affected MySQL instances. Attackers with authenticated access can leverage this weakness to repeatedly crash database services, potentially leading to complete system unavailability and requiring manual intervention to restore normal operations. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where database administrators cannot easily distinguish between legitimate database operations and malicious attacks, as the crash occurs during what appears to be normal database interaction patterns. Organizations running affected MySQL versions face significant risk of operational disruption and may experience cascading effects on applications that depend on database availability.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of MySQL installations to versions 5.1.49 or 5.5.5 and later, which contain the necessary fixes to prevent the assertion failure during HANDLER interface operations. System administrators should implement access controls to limit authentication privileges and monitor database connections for unusual patterns of HANDLER interface usage. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patched environments to ensure that legitimate database operations continue to function properly while preventing the exploitation vector. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing database monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on abnormal database daemon behavior, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network disruption and system resource compromise. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify other potential weaknesses in database infrastructure that could be exploited in similar manners, ensuring comprehensive protection against both known and emerging threats in database security management.