CVE-2014-6469 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle MySQL Server 5.5.39 and eariler and 5.6.20 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via vectors related to SERVER:OPTIMIZER.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6469 represents a significant availability threat within Oracle MySQL Server implementations. This flaw exists in versions 5.5.39 and earlier, as well as 5.6.20 and earlier, affecting the server component's optimizer functionality. The vulnerability specifically targets the server optimizer module, which is responsible for query execution planning and optimization within the database management system. Attackers with authenticated access can exploit this weakness to disrupt service availability, potentially causing system downtime and impacting business operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling within the MySQL Server's optimizer subsystem during query processing. When authenticated users submit specific queries that trigger the affected optimizer paths, the system may experience unexpected behavior that leads to service disruption. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of availability attacks, where the primary goal is to make the service unavailable to legitimate users rather than to gain unauthorized access or extract data. The attack vector involves authenticated users who can leverage their access privileges to craft malicious queries that exploit the optimizer's handling of certain query structures or execution plans.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for database environments that rely on MySQL Server for critical business operations. Organizations may experience unplanned downtime, service degradation, or complete system unavailability when exploited. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not need physical access to the system, and the authenticated requirement reduces the attack surface compared to fully unauthenticated exploits. However, it still represents a serious threat because database administrators typically grant various levels of access to legitimate users, increasing the potential attack surface. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to include potential data integrity concerns and business continuity issues.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119, which addresses improper access to memory locations, and relates to the broader category of software defects that affect system availability. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving service stoppage and availability disruption, specifically targeting the database service layer. Organizations should consider implementing comprehensive monitoring solutions to detect anomalous query patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The recommended mitigation approach includes applying the appropriate Oracle security patches and updates that address this specific optimizer flaw. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can reduce the potential impact by limiting the number of authenticated users who can submit potentially malicious queries to the database server. Database administrators should also consider implementing query monitoring and resource limiting mechanisms to prevent single queries from consuming excessive system resources and potentially triggering the vulnerability conditions.