CVE-2014-2432 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability Oracle the MySQL Server component 5.5.35 and earlier and 5.6.15 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via unknown vectors related to Federated.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2432 affects Oracle MySQL Server versions 5.5.35 and earlier, as well as 5.6.15 and earlier, specifically within the Federated storage engine component. This issue represents a significant security concern as it allows remote authenticated attackers to potentially disrupt system availability through unspecified attack vectors. The Federated storage engine in MySQL enables users to access tables located on remote MySQL servers, creating a distributed database architecture that can be exploited for denial of service attacks. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that the exact technical mechanism enabling the attack was not fully disclosed in the initial advisory, making it particularly challenging for administrators to assess and mitigate the risk effectively. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of availability attacks that can impact database operations and system stability.
The technical flaw within the Federated storage engine stems from insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms when processing remote table references and connections. Attackers with authenticated access to the MySQL server can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that cause the server to crash or become unresponsive. The attack vectors typically involve manipulating federated table definitions or connection parameters in ways that trigger memory corruption, resource exhaustion, or improper error handling within the MySQL server process. This vulnerability demonstrates a critical design flaw in how the server handles external connections and data processing, potentially allowing an attacker to consume excessive system resources or trigger unexpected behavior that results in service disruption. The impact is particularly severe because authenticated access is required, meaning that attackers who have legitimate database credentials can leverage their privileges to cause significant availability issues.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-2432 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire database infrastructures. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability can cause MySQL server processes to crash repeatedly, leading to extended downtime and potential data loss or corruption. Organizations running affected MySQL versions may experience cascading failures if database services are critical to their operations, as the availability disruption can affect dependent applications and services. The vulnerability affects database administrators' ability to maintain consistent service levels and can result in compliance violations if service level agreements are not met. Recovery from such attacks may require manual intervention, including server restarts, process monitoring, and potential database restoration from backups, which can significantly impact business continuity. The threat landscape for this vulnerability is particularly concerning given that it affects widely deployed MySQL versions and can be exploited by attackers with relatively low privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-2432 should prioritize immediate patching of affected MySQL installations to the latest secure versions. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to database servers and enforce strict authentication controls to reduce the attack surface. Monitoring and logging of database activities, particularly those involving federated tables, should be enhanced to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Disabling the Federated storage engine entirely through configuration changes provides an additional layer of protection when the functionality is not essential to business operations. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify other potential weaknesses in database configurations. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service and CWE-121 for buffer overflow conditions, highlighting the need for comprehensive defensive measures. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions to detect and respond to suspicious federated table access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.