CVE-2012-5614 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Oracle MySQL 5.1.67 and earlier and 5.5.29 and earlier, and MariaDB 5.5.28a and possibly other versions, allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (mysqld crash) via a SELECT command with an UpdateXML command containing XML with a large number of unique, nested elements.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/06/2024
This vulnerability affects database systems that process XML data through the UpdateXML function within SELECT commands. The flaw exists in Oracle MySQL versions 5.1.67 and earlier, as well as 5.5.29 and earlier, alongside MariaDB 5.5.28a and potentially other versions. When a malicious user executes a SELECT statement containing an UpdateXML command with malformed XML data featuring an excessive number of unique nested elements, the database server process mysqld crashes, resulting in a denial of service condition that disrupts legitimate database operations.
The technical root cause stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the XML processing subsystem of these database implementations. The vulnerability specifically targets the UpdateXML function which is designed to modify XML data within database records. When processing XML documents with deeply nested structures containing numerous unique elements, the database engine fails to properly handle the memory allocation and parsing operations, leading to stack overflow conditions or memory corruption that ultimately causes the mysqld process to terminate unexpectedly.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to database availability and system stability. Remote authenticated attackers who can execute SELECT commands against database tables containing XML data can exploit this weakness to crash database servers, potentially causing extended downtime and service disruption. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service as database administrators may need to restart services, potentially resulting in data loss or inconsistency in transactional systems. This vulnerability particularly affects systems where XML data processing is common and where database users have sufficient privileges to execute SELECT statements with UpdateXML functions.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of input boundaries, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of MySQL and MariaDB where available, implementing database access controls to limit privileges for XML processing operations, and monitoring for unusual patterns in database queries that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, database administrators should consider implementing query timeouts and resource limits to prevent excessive memory consumption during XML processing operations. The recommended remediation approach includes applying vendor security patches, conducting vulnerability assessments, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts through anomalous database query patterns.