CVE-2014-0401 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the MySQL Server component in Oracle MySQL 5.1.72 and earlier, 5.5.34 and earlier, and 5.6.14 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0401 resides within the MySQL Server component of Oracle MySQL database systems, affecting multiple version ranges including 5.1.72 and earlier, 5.5.34 and earlier, and 5.6.14 and earlier. This unspecified weakness represents a significant security concern as it enables remote authenticated attackers to compromise system availability without requiring privileged access. The vulnerability's classification as an availability impact means that successful exploitation could result in denial of service conditions that prevent legitimate users from accessing database services. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that the flaw may manifest through various mechanisms within the MySQL server architecture, potentially encompassing memory management issues, resource exhaustion scenarios, or protocol handling anomalies that could be leveraged by malicious actors.
The technical implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple service disruption as it represents a fundamental weakness in how MySQL handles authenticated connections and resource management. Attackers who have established valid credentials within the database environment can exploit this flaw to cause system instability or complete service unavailability. This type of vulnerability often stems from improper input validation, inadequate error handling, or memory corruption issues that could be triggered through specific sequences of database operations or connection management patterns. The impact on availability means that database services could become unresponsive, require manual restarts, or potentially crash entirely, resulting in significant operational disruptions for organizations relying on these database systems. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which describes weaknesses related to memory safety and improper handling of resources, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where database availability is critical for business operations.
The operational consequences of CVE-2014-0401 pose substantial risks to organizations utilizing affected MySQL versions, as unauthorized authenticated users could systematically degrade database performance or cause complete service outages. This vulnerability creates opportunities for both malicious insiders and external attackers who have gained legitimate access credentials to cause significant damage through availability attacks. The potential for cascading failures exists when database unavailability impacts dependent applications and services, creating broader system-wide disruptions. Organizations implementing the ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under the availability impact category, potentially leveraging techniques such as resource exhaustion or service disruption to achieve their objectives. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that MySQL is widely deployed across various industries including finance, healthcare, and e-commerce, where database availability directly impacts business continuity and regulatory compliance requirements. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader threat modeling efforts, particularly when evaluating the risk of authenticated attack scenarios and the potential for denial of service conditions that could impact critical business processes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-0401 primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to patched MySQL releases that address the unspecified vulnerability. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to MySQL versions that have been specifically patched to resolve this issue, ensuring that all authenticated users have appropriate access controls and monitoring in place. Implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of authenticated attacks by reducing the attack surface and preventing lateral movement within database environments. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in database configurations and access controls. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring solutions that can detect unusual database activity patterns or resource consumption anomalies that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched environments to ensure that upgrades do not introduce compatibility issues with existing database applications or services. Security teams should also establish incident response procedures specifically tailored to handle availability-focused attacks targeting database systems, ensuring rapid detection and containment of potential exploitation attempts.