CVE-2012-0495 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the MySQL Server component in Oracle MySQL 5.5.x allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via unknown vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-0117, CVE-2012-0486, CVE-2012-0487, CVE-2012-0488, CVE-2012-0489, CVE-2012-0491, and CVE-2012-0493.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0495 represents a critical availability threat within Oracle MySQL Server version 5.5.x, specifically targeting the server component's resilience against remote authenticated attacks. This flaw operates within the broader context of database security where maintaining system availability is paramount for business continuity and data integrity. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed, which is common for certain types of denial-of-service conditions that may involve complex interaction patterns within the database engine's internal processes. Unlike other vulnerabilities in the same timeframe such as CVE-2012-0117, CVE-2012-0486, CVE-2012-0487, CVE-2012-0488, CVE-2012-0489, CVE-2012-0491, and CVE-2012-0493, this particular issue demonstrates distinct characteristics that require separate assessment and remediation approaches. The vulnerability's impact on system availability suggests that an authenticated attacker could potentially disrupt database operations, leading to service interruption that affects all database-dependent applications and services within the affected environment.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability operates within the MySQL Server's architecture where authenticated users can leverage specific conditions to trigger system instability or resource exhaustion. The unspecified nature of the vector implies that the attack mechanism may involve complex interactions between multiple subsystems within the database engine, potentially including memory management, connection handling, or query processing components. The fact that this vulnerability affects availability rather than confidentiality or integrity indicates that attackers can disrupt service operations without necessarily gaining unauthorized access to data or bypassing authentication mechanisms. The database server's response to maliciously crafted requests or specific sequences of operations could lead to process termination, resource exhaustion, or other failure conditions that prevent legitimate users from accessing database services. This type of vulnerability typically aligns with CWE-400 categories related to resource exhaustion and system instability, where the database engine fails to properly handle exceptional conditions or malformed inputs from authenticated users.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-0495 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially affect business operations and customer satisfaction when database services become unavailable. Organizations relying on MySQL 5.5.x for critical applications face significant risk of downtime that could result in financial losses, compliance violations, or reputational damage. The remote nature of the attack vector means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from external networks without requiring physical access to the database infrastructure, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible database servers. The authentication requirement suggests that while not easily exploitable by casual attackers, legitimate users with compromised credentials or malicious insider threats could leverage this vulnerability to cause service disruption. The vulnerability's existence in MySQL 5.5.x indicates that organizations running this specific version must prioritize patch management and security updates to maintain operational resilience against such threats.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigation strategies while planning for comprehensive remediation through official Oracle patches. The lack of detailed technical information about the specific attack vector makes proactive defense challenging, but implementing network segmentation and monitoring for unusual database activity can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should consider implementing connection limits, query timeouts, and resource monitoring to minimize the impact of potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification within the ATT&CK framework would likely map to techniques involving service stoppage or resource exhaustion, where attackers leverage legitimate access to disrupt availability. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in database configurations and to ensure that proper access controls and monitoring mechanisms are in place to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Patch management processes should be prioritized to ensure that Oracle MySQL 5.5.x installations are updated to versions that contain fixes for this vulnerability and related issues.