CVE-2015-2611 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle MySQL Server 5.6.24 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via vectors related to DML.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2611 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle MySQL Server versions 5.6.24 and earlier, specifically affecting the database management system's handling of Data Manipulation Language operations. This issue falls under the broader category of availability impact vulnerabilities, where malicious actors can exploit weaknesses in the database server to disrupt normal operations and potentially cause system downtime. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that Oracle did not provide detailed technical information about the exact mechanism by which the flaw operates, though it clearly relates to database operations involving data manipulation.
The technical flaw manifests when authenticated users leverage specific DML operations against the MySQL server, potentially causing the system to become unresponsive or crash entirely. This type of vulnerability demonstrates a critical weakness in the server's input validation and error handling mechanisms, where properly formed DML statements can trigger unexpected behavior that affects system availability. The fact that this requires authentication suggests that the vulnerability is not immediately exploitable by anonymous attackers, but rather represents a privilege escalation or abuse of access rights within the database environment. This aligns with common patterns found in CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer) and CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) categories, where database systems fail to properly validate or sanitize user inputs before processing them.
From an operational perspective, the impact of CVE-2015-2611 can be severe for organizations relying on MySQL databases, particularly in production environments where database availability is critical to business operations. An attacker who has authenticated access to the database system could potentially cause service disruption, leading to data unavailability, application downtime, and potential financial losses. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers do not need physical access to the system, and could exploit it from anywhere on the network, making it particularly dangerous in environments where database servers are accessible over the internet or through corporate networks. This type of vulnerability is often categorized under the MITRE ATT&CK framework's T1499.004 (Endpoint Denial of Service) technique, where adversaries target system resources to deny service to legitimate users.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected MySQL Server installations to address this vulnerability, as Oracle released security updates specifically targeting this issue in subsequent versions. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive testing of patches in development environments before deployment to production systems to ensure compatibility with existing applications. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities by restricting access to database servers to only authorized personnel and systems. Regular vulnerability assessments and monitoring of database systems for unusual activity patterns can also help detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous DML operations that might indicate exploitation attempts, providing an additional layer of defense against this type of availability-focused attack vector.