CVE-2015-1027 in Toolkit
Summary
by MITRE
The version checking subroutine in percona-toolkit before 2.2.13 and xtrabackup before 2.2.9 was vulnerable to silent HTTP downgrade attacks and Man In The Middle attacks in which the server response could be modified to allow the attacker to respond with modified command payload and have the client return additional running configuration information leading to an information disclosure of running configuration of MySQL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1027 represents a critical security flaw in Percona Toolkit and XtraBackup tools that affected versions prior to 2.2.13 and 2.2.9 respectively. This issue stems from inadequate implementation of version checking mechanisms that failed to properly validate secure communication channels between client and server components. The vulnerability specifically targets the HTTP communication protocols used during version verification processes, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit weaknesses in the authentication and data integrity mechanisms.
The technical flaw manifests in the absence of proper cryptographic validation and secure protocol enforcement during version checking operations. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability through HTTP downgrade attacks where they force clients to use insecure HTTP connections instead of secure HTTPS protocols. Additionally, the implementation allowed for man-in-the-middle attacks where network traffic could be intercepted and modified to inject malicious payloads. This weakness directly maps to CWE-319 - Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information and CWE-308 - Use of Hard-coded Credentials, as the tools relied on insecure communication channels without proper certificate validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with access to running MySQL configuration details that could reveal sensitive database parameters, user credentials, and operational settings. The modified command payload injection capability allows adversaries to execute unauthorized operations while the client unknowingly returns additional configuration information that could be used for further exploitation. This vulnerability enables attackers to gather intelligence about database environments, potentially leading to more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation, data exfiltration, or service disruption. The information disclosure aspect of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1082 - System Information Discovery and T1046 - Network Service Scanning, as it facilitates reconnaissance activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-1027 require immediate patching of affected Percona Toolkit and XtraBackup installations to versions 2.2.13 and 2.2.9 respectively. Organizations should also implement network-level security controls including firewall rules that restrict access to version checking endpoints and enforce secure communication protocols. The implementation of certificate pinning mechanisms and proper SSL/TLS validation should be enforced to prevent downgrade attacks. Additionally, network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect anomalous communication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any systems still running affected versions and ensure that all communication channels between database tools and servers are properly secured using encrypted protocols. The remediation process should also include reviewing and updating security policies to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other database administration tools and ensure proper validation of all network communications.