CVE-2012-0490 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the MySQL Server component in Oracle MySQL 5.0.x, 5.1.x, and 5.5.x allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via unknown vectors.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/23/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0490 represents a critical availability issue within Oracle MySQL Server versions 5.0.x, 5.1.x, and 5.5.x. This unspecified weakness falls under the broader category of denial of service vulnerabilities that can be exploited by authenticated remote attackers. The vulnerability specifically targets the MySQL Server component, which serves as the core database management system for numerous enterprise applications and web services. Given the widespread adoption of MySQL across various industries, this vulnerability poses significant operational risks to organizations relying on these database versions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from unspecified attack vectors that allow authenticated users to disrupt the availability of MySQL services. While the exact technical mechanism remains unspecified in the CVE description, such vulnerabilities typically involve flaws in input validation, resource management, or protocol handling within the server component. The fact that authentication is required suggests that the attack vector likely involves exploiting privileges granted to legitimate users rather than gaining unauthorized access through external means. This classification aligns with CWE-400, which encompasses weaknesses related to resource management and availability denial. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple service interruption as it can potentially compromise entire database operations and affect downstream applications that depend on MySQL availability.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations using affected MySQL versions as it enables authenticated attackers to cause service disruption without requiring elevated privileges or complex exploitation techniques. The availability impact means that legitimate database operations can be interrupted, potentially leading to data unavailability, application downtime, and business disruption. Organizations may experience cascading effects where database unavailability impacts multiple dependent systems, including web applications, reporting tools, and automated processes. The remote aspect of the vulnerability means that attackers can exploit this weakness from anywhere on the network, making it particularly dangerous in environments where database servers are accessible from multiple network segments or the internet. This vulnerability directly relates to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks, and represents a significant threat to database availability in enterprise environments.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-0490 primarily involve upgrading to patched versions of Oracle MySQL Server where the vulnerability has been addressed by the vendor. Organizations should implement the latest security patches released by Oracle to remediate this vulnerability. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact by restricting which authenticated users can access database servers. Implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual patterns of database activity or connection attempts may help identify exploitation attempts. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in database configurations. Database administrators should also implement proper access controls and privilege management to minimize the attack surface, ensuring that only necessary users have access to database servers. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches in staging environments before deployment to production systems to avoid introducing new issues while addressing the availability vulnerability. Organizations should also maintain detailed incident response procedures specifically addressing database availability issues to ensure rapid response and recovery when such vulnerabilities are exploited.