CVE-2014-2435 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle MySQL Server 5.6.16 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via unknown vectors related to InnoDB.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2435 represents a critical weakness in Oracle MySQL Server versions 5.6.16 and earlier, specifically within the InnoDB storage engine component. This flaw affects authenticated remote attackers who can potentially disrupt system availability through unspecified attack vectors. The InnoDB storage engine serves as the default storage engine for MySQL, handling transactional operations and providing advanced features like foreign key constraints, row-level locking, and crash recovery mechanisms. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that the exact technical details were not fully disclosed in the initial advisory, making it particularly challenging for security teams to assess and mitigate the risk effectively.
The technical nature of this vulnerability lies within the InnoDB storage engine's handling of certain database operations, which can lead to system instability or complete service disruption. Attackers with valid authentication credentials can exploit this weakness to cause denial of service conditions, potentially leading to database unavailability and cascading effects on applications dependent on the MySQL server. The unspecified nature of the vectors suggests that the vulnerability may manifest through various attack paths related to InnoDB's internal processing, transaction handling, or resource management functions. This ambiguity in the vulnerability description often complicates the development of precise mitigation strategies and requires comprehensive monitoring and testing procedures.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-2435 extends beyond simple service disruption, potentially affecting business continuity and data integrity within MySQL-based systems. Organizations running affected MySQL versions face risks of unauthorized service interruption, which could result in significant downtime costs and potential data loss scenarios. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not require physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in environments where database servers are accessible over networks. This weakness can be exploited to cause cascading failures in applications that depend on MySQL for critical operations, potentially affecting multiple services and users simultaneously. The authenticated requirement reduces the attack surface compared to unauthenticated vulnerabilities but still presents a serious risk to organizations with compromised accounts or insider threats.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-2435 should prioritize immediate patching of affected MySQL installations to version 5.6.17 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for this vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring of MySQL server performance and availability metrics to detect potential exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit the scope of potential attacks, particularly restricting remote access to database servers. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected MySQL versions and prioritize remediation efforts based on risk exposure. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119, which addresses memory safety issues, and may relate to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and denial of service operations. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure that all database systems remain protected against similar vulnerabilities in the future.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the importance of maintaining up-to-date database software and implementing robust security practices. Organizations should establish regular patch management procedures specifically for database systems, as these components often handle critical business data and operations. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability also emphasizes the need for comprehensive security monitoring and incident response capabilities that can detect and respond to previously unknown attack patterns. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of database security in enterprise environments and the potential for seemingly minor flaws to cause significant operational disruptions.