CVE-2012-0087 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the MySQL Server component in Oracle MySQL 5.0.x and 5.1.x allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via unknown vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-0101 and CVE-2012-0102.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/23/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0087 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle MySQL Server versions 5.0.x and 5.1.x that poses serious risks to system availability. This issue affects the MySQL Server component specifically and operates under the premise that authenticated users can exploit it remotely to compromise system availability. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that the exact technical mechanisms remain undisclosed, which is typical for certain types of availability-related flaws that may involve complex interactions within the database engine's internal processes. Unlike other related vulnerabilities such as CVE-2012-0101 and CVE-2012-0102 which may have more defined attack vectors, this particular flaw demonstrates the complexity and varied nature of database server security issues. The authentication requirement suggests that attackers must first establish valid credentials before attempting exploitation, which adds a layer of complexity to the attack scenario but does not eliminate the potential for significant impact.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the fundamental architecture of MySQL Server's handling of authenticated connections and resource management. While the specific vector remains unspecified, such availability-focused vulnerabilities typically involve mechanisms that can cause denial of service conditions through resource exhaustion, memory corruption, or process termination. The fact that this affects both 5.0.x and 5.1.x versions indicates a widespread issue within the MySQL server architecture during this timeframe, suggesting that the flaw likely resides in core components that were shared across these major versions. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability also implies that it may involve multiple potential attack paths or that the exact conditions leading to exploitation have not been fully documented. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-400 categories related to resource exhaustion and CWE-119 related to memory corruption issues, which are common in database server environments where multiple concurrent connections and complex query processing can create attack surfaces.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-0087 extends beyond simple service interruption to potentially compromise entire database infrastructure availability. When authenticated users can cause availability issues in a database server, the implications are severe as database systems typically serve as critical infrastructure components for applications, making such vulnerabilities particularly dangerous in production environments. The remote nature of the attack means that compromised systems can be affected from external networks without requiring physical access, which significantly increases the attack surface. Organizations running affected MySQL versions face the risk of unauthorized users causing service disruptions that can result in business continuity issues, data access limitations, and potential financial losses. The vulnerability's classification as different from CVE-2012-0101 and CVE-2012-0102 indicates that it represents a distinct attack surface that requires separate mitigation approaches, suggesting that organizations cannot rely on existing patches or workarounds for related vulnerabilities. This vulnerability demonstrates how database servers can be targeted through authenticated access points to cause availability disruptions, which aligns with ATT&CK techniques involving denial of service and resource exhaustion attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-0087 should prioritize immediate patching of affected MySQL Server installations to the latest available versions that contain fixes for this vulnerability. Organizations should implement strict access controls and authentication mechanisms to limit the number of authenticated users who can potentially exploit this vulnerability. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to restrict access to MySQL servers to only necessary systems and users. Monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of database connection activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Database administrators should also implement connection pooling and resource management strategies to minimize the impact of potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's nature suggests that implementing proper user access controls and limiting database privileges can significantly reduce the attack surface, aligning with security best practices outlined in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001. Additionally, regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar issues in database environments, as this vulnerability represents a class of problems that may have similar underlying causes in other database systems or versions. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.