CVE-2012-5060 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Server component in Oracle MySQL 5.1.65 and earlier and 5.5.27 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect availability, related to GIS Extension.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5060 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle MySQL database systems that affects multiple version ranges including 5.1.65 and earlier, as well as 5.5.27 and earlier releases. This issue specifically targets the Server component of MySQL and operates through the GIS Extension functionality, creating a potential avenue for remote authenticated attackers to compromise system availability. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability description indicates that the precise technical mechanism remains classified, though the impact on availability suggests a denial-of-service condition that could severely disrupt database operations. The vulnerability's classification as affecting the Server component implies that it operates at a core level within the MySQL architecture, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate fundamental database services.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the GIS Extension capabilities within MySQL, which provide spatial data handling and geographic information system functionality. This extension allows databases to store and process spatial data types, enabling complex geographic queries and operations. When an authenticated user with appropriate privileges can trigger a condition that affects availability through this extension, it indicates that the flaw likely involves memory management issues, resource exhaustion, or improper input validation within the spatial processing routines. The GIS Extension's complexity and the specialized nature of spatial data processing make it particularly susceptible to conditions that could lead to system instability or service disruption. This vulnerability demonstrates how specialized database extensions can introduce unexpected attack surfaces that may not be immediately obvious during standard security assessments.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-5060 extends beyond simple availability disruption to potentially compromise entire database infrastructure operations. Remote authenticated attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability could cause database servers to become unresponsive, crash, or require manual restart to restore functionality. This type of availability compromise directly affects business continuity and can result in significant downtime for applications that depend on MySQL databases for critical operations. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where database availability is paramount for business operations, customer service, and data integrity. Organizations using MySQL with GIS functionality may face extended periods of service disruption, potential data loss, or the need for emergency maintenance windows. The vulnerability's impact on availability aligns with common attack patterns documented in the attack framework, where service disruption represents one of the most frequently targeted outcomes for database security exploits.
Security professionals should implement multiple layers of protection when addressing this vulnerability, beginning with immediate patching of affected MySQL versions to the latest available releases that contain fixes for this specific issue. Organizations must also conduct thorough assessments of their database environments to identify systems running vulnerable MySQL versions and ensure proper access controls are enforced to limit authentication to only necessary users. The implementation of network segmentation and firewall rules can help reduce the attack surface by limiting access to database servers. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual patterns in database activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under the broader category of availability compromise aligns with attack techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework where adversaries target system resources to disrupt operations. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous spatial data processing patterns which may indicate exploitation attempts. Compliance with industry standards such as those outlined in the CWE taxonomy for database security vulnerabilities should be maintained to ensure comprehensive protection against similar threats.