CVE-2014-4233 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the MySQL Server component in Oracle MySQL 5.6.17 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via vectors related to SRREP.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/09/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4233 resides within the MySQL Server component of Oracle MySQL versions 5.6.17 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that compromises system availability. This unspecified vulnerability manifests through vectors associated with SRREP, which stands for Server Replication Error Processing, indicating that the issue specifically impacts the server's ability to handle replication errors effectively. The vulnerability affects remote authenticated users, meaning that attackers must possess valid credentials to exploit the flaw, but once exploited, the impact extends beyond simple authentication to system availability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate error handling mechanisms within the MySQL replication subsystem. When replication errors occur during data synchronization between master and slave servers, the system fails to properly process these errors, potentially leading to denial of service conditions. The SRREP component's failure to gracefully handle error states can cause the MySQL server process to become unresponsive or terminate unexpectedly, thereby disrupting database operations and availability for legitimate users. This flaw operates at the server level and affects the core replication functionality that many MySQL deployments rely upon for high availability and data consistency.
From an operational perspective, the impact of CVE-2014-4233 can be severe for organizations depending on MySQL replication for their database infrastructure. The vulnerability allows authenticated attackers to potentially cause service disruption by exploiting replication error handling mechanisms, leading to database unavailability that can affect business operations. The attack vector requires authentication, which provides some defense in depth, but the potential for denial of service makes this vulnerability particularly concerning for production environments where database availability is critical. Organizations with multiple slave servers configured for replication may experience cascading failures if the vulnerability is exploited in a manner that affects the replication chain.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, the weakness of improper input validation, as the system fails to properly validate or handle error conditions during replication processes. The flaw also corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network disruption through service availability attacks, since the vulnerability can be exploited to disrupt availability of MySQL services. Organizations should prioritize patching affected MySQL versions to address this vulnerability, as the remediation typically involves upgrading to MySQL 5.6.18 or later versions where the replication error handling has been improved. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit the attack surface by restricting access to authenticated users and monitoring replication activities for unusual error patterns.
The broader implications of this vulnerability extend to database administration practices, as it highlights the importance of robust error handling in critical database components. System administrators should implement monitoring solutions that can detect unusual replication error patterns and establish incident response procedures for handling availability disruptions. Regular vulnerability assessments and security audits of database systems should include evaluation of replication configurations and error handling mechanisms to prevent exploitation of similar flaws. The vulnerability demonstrates that even authenticated access can pose significant risks when combined with inadequate error processing in core database functionality.