CVE-2015-0432 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle MySQL Server 5.5.40 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via vectors related to Server : InnoDB : DDL : Foreign Key.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-0432 represents a significant availability threat within Oracle MySQL Server versions 5.5.40 and earlier, specifically affecting the InnoDB storage engine's handling of Data Definition Language operations involving foreign key constraints. This unspecified weakness falls under the broader category of denial of service vulnerabilities that can be exploited by authenticated attackers who possess valid credentials to access the database system. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning as it directly targets the core database functionality that governs referential integrity and relationship management between tables.
The technical flaw manifests within the InnoDB storage engine's implementation of foreign key constraint handling during Data Definition Language operations. When authenticated users perform specific DDL operations involving foreign key relationships, the system experiences unexpected behavior that can lead to service disruption or complete unavailability of the database server. This vulnerability operates at the intersection of database management operations and storage engine functionality, making it particularly challenging to detect and mitigate. The attack vector requires authentication, meaning that only users with legitimate access credentials can exploit this weakness, but this limitation does not diminish its potential impact on business continuity and system availability.
From an operational standpoint, the availability impact of CVE-2015-0432 can result in significant business disruption for organizations relying on MySQL databases for critical operations. When exploited, this vulnerability can cause database server crashes, connection timeouts, or complete service outages that affect multiple applications and users simultaneously. The authenticated nature of the attack means that internal threats or compromised accounts pose a particular risk, as attackers with legitimate access can leverage this weakness without requiring additional reconnaissance or privilege escalation. Organizations may experience extended downtime while implementing patches or workarounds, potentially affecting customer service, data integrity, and overall system reliability.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in the context of the CWE taxonomy, where it relates to CWE-119 Improper Restriction of Operations within a Memory Buffer and CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, though the specific implementation details may vary. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under privilege escalation and denial of service tactics, as attackers can leverage authenticated access to cause availability disruption. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected MySQL versions to 5.5.41 or later, implementing network segmentation to limit access to database servers, and establishing monitoring for unusual DDL operations involving foreign key constraints. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions to detect anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date database software and implementing comprehensive security controls around database access and operations, particularly for critical infrastructure components that rely on MySQL server functionality.