CVE-2014-0384 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the MySQL Server component in Oracle MySQL 5.5.35 and earlier and 5.6.15 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via vectors related to XML.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0384 resides within the MySQL Server component of Oracle MySQL database systems, specifically affecting versions 5.5.35 and earlier, as well as 5.6.15 and earlier. This unspecified weakness falls under the broader category of availability impact, indicating that malicious actors can potentially disrupt database services through carefully crafted XML-related operations. The vulnerability requires remote authenticated access, meaning that an attacker must first establish valid credentials to exploit the flaw, though this does not significantly reduce the risk given that database authentication mechanisms can be compromised through various means including credential theft, brute force attacks, or exploitation of other vulnerabilities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability is rooted in how MySQL Server processes XML data structures, particularly when handling XML functions and operations within the database environment. This flaw likely involves improper input validation or memory handling when processing XML content, potentially leading to resource exhaustion, memory corruption, or denial of service conditions that can cause the database server to crash or become unresponsive. Such vulnerabilities often stem from inadequate bounds checking or buffer overflow conditions that can be triggered through malformed XML inputs passed to XML processing functions within the MySQL server. The use of CWE-121, which covers buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-400, which addresses resource exhaustion, provides relevant context for understanding how XML processing can lead to availability disruption.
From an operational standpoint, the impact of CVE-2014-0384 can be severe for organizations relying on MySQL databases for critical business operations. When exploited, this vulnerability can result in complete database service disruption, leading to significant downtime and potential data unavailability for applications dependent on the affected MySQL instances. The remote authenticated nature means that attackers who have gained access to legitimate database accounts can leverage this vulnerability to cause service interruptions without requiring physical access to the database server. This threat vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and T1078, which addresses valid accounts as a means of gaining access to systems. Organizations may experience cascading effects from such disruptions, particularly in environments where database availability directly impacts customer-facing applications, financial transactions, or other time-sensitive business processes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-0384 should prioritize immediate patching of affected MySQL installations to versions that address the XML processing vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the scope of potential exploitation, ensuring that database access is restricted to authorized users only. Additional defensive measures include monitoring database logs for unusual XML processing activities, implementing intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts, and regularly auditing database access permissions to prevent unauthorized users from gaining the necessary credentials to exploit this vulnerability. Database administrators should also consider implementing application-level input validation and sanitization for XML data to reduce the attack surface, while maintaining regular backups and disaster recovery procedures to minimize the impact of potential service disruptions.