CVE-2012-1697 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the MySQL Server component in Oracle MySQL 5.5.21 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via unknown vectors related to Partition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/19/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1697 resides within the MySQL Server component of Oracle MySQL versions 5.5.21 and earlier, specifically impacting the partitioning functionality. This unspecified weakness represents a significant security concern as it enables remote authenticated attackers to potentially compromise system availability through unspecified vectors related to partition operations. The vulnerability's classification as "unspecified" suggests that the exact technical mechanism remains undocumented in the initial disclosure, which is common in early vulnerability reports where full technical details may take time to be fully analyzed and published. The partitioning feature in MySQL is designed to improve performance and manageability of large datasets by dividing tables into smaller, more manageable pieces, but this particular flaw undermines the reliability of the system when partition-related operations are performed.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it within the realm of availability attacks, where the primary impact is the potential disruption of service rather than direct data compromise or privilege escalation. When attackers exploit partition-related functionality, they can potentially cause the MySQL server to become unresponsive, crash, or otherwise fail to maintain normal operations. This type of vulnerability often relates to improper handling of partition metadata, incorrect validation of partition boundaries, or flawed resource management during partition operations. The fact that authentication is required indicates that the attack vector is not entirely open to anonymous users, but rather targets those with legitimate access credentials who can leverage their privileges to execute malicious partition operations. Such vulnerabilities typically align with CWE-119, which addresses weaknesses in memory handling and resource management, or CWE-400, which covers resource management errors that can lead to denial of service conditions.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents a serious threat to database availability and business continuity, particularly in environments where MySQL serves as a critical backend component for applications and services. Organizations running affected MySQL versions may experience unexpected service disruptions, database outages, or performance degradation that could impact multiple dependent applications and users. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries do not need physical access to the system, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in cloud environments or distributed systems where network exposure is common. The impact extends beyond simple downtime as database availability issues can cascade into broader system failures, affecting application performance, user experience, and potentially leading to data integrity concerns if operations are interrupted during critical transactions. The vulnerability's potential to affect availability makes it particularly concerning for mission-critical systems where database uptime is essential for business operations.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to MySQL versions that have addressed this vulnerability, specifically targeting MySQL 5.5.22 or later releases where the partitioning issues have been resolved. The upgrade process should include thorough testing of partitioned databases and applications to ensure compatibility and prevent unintended side effects. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to limit access to MySQL servers, restricting authentication credentials to only necessary users, and monitoring database logs for unusual partition-related activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify abnormal patterns in partition operations, as these may serve as indicators of attempted exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of keeping database software up to date and following vendor security advisories, as partitioning features often involve complex internal operations that can introduce subtle but critical flaws. Organizations should also review their database access controls and implement principle of least privilege to minimize the potential impact of such vulnerabilities, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 which addresses valid accounts and legitimate credentials as attack vectors.