CVE-2015-0385 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle MySQL Server 5.6.21 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via unknown vectors related to Pluggable Auth.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-0385 resides within Oracle MySQL Server versions 5.6.21 and earlier, representing a significant security concern that impacts the availability of database systems. This issue specifically affects the pluggable authentication framework, which serves as a critical component for user authentication and access control within MySQL environments. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the authentication plugin architecture, creating potential attack vectors that could be exploited by authenticated remote users to disrupt database services. The unspecified nature of the exact attack vectors makes this vulnerability particularly concerning as it may encompass multiple exploitation techniques that could be leveraged by threat actors.
The technical flaw manifests within the pluggable authentication system where proper input validation and error handling mechanisms are inadequate to prevent malicious inputs from causing system instability or resource exhaustion. Attackers who have already gained authentication credentials can exploit this weakness to potentially crash database processes, consume excessive system resources, or otherwise compromise the availability of the MySQL service. This vulnerability operates at the authentication layer, meaning it can be triggered through legitimate authentication attempts that are crafted to exploit the underlying flaw in the plugin handling mechanism. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service as it could potentially allow attackers to escalate their privileges or cause more severe disruptions to database operations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses substantial risk to organizations relying on MySQL databases, particularly in environments where database availability is critical for business operations. The fact that exploitation requires only authenticated access means that insiders or attackers who have already compromised user credentials could leverage this vulnerability to cause service disruption. The attack could result in complete database unavailability, requiring manual intervention to restore services, and potentially leading to extended downtime for applications dependent on the affected database. Organizations may experience cascading effects where database outages impact multiple downstream applications and services, creating broader operational disruptions.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which addresses "Improper Input Validation" and represents a classic example of how authentication system weaknesses can be exploited to compromise availability. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials usage, and potentially T1499 related to service stoppage. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle security patches, disabling unnecessary authentication plugins, and monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access controls should be reinforced to limit the potential impact of credential compromise, while implementing robust monitoring solutions to detect anomalous authentication behaviors that could indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar authentication-related weaknesses in database systems.