CVE-2015-2617 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle MySQL Server 5.6.24 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via unknown vectors related to Partition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2617 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle MySQL Server versions 5.6.24 and earlier, specifically impacting the partitioning functionality of the database system. This issue affects remote authenticated users who can exploit the vulnerability to compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected MySQL instances. The unspecified nature of the exact vector means that the precise technical mechanism through which the vulnerability operates was not fully disclosed in the initial advisory, though it clearly relates to partition management within the database server. The vulnerability exists at the core database engine level where partitioning operations are processed, potentially allowing attackers with valid authentication credentials to execute malicious code or manipulate database operations in ways that could undermine the entire system's security posture.
The technical flaw manifests within the partitioning subsystem of MySQL Server, which is designed to divide large tables into smaller, more manageable pieces for improved performance and maintenance. When dealing with partitioned tables, the database engine must properly validate and process operations such as partition creation, modification, and data access. The vulnerability likely stems from inadequate input validation or improper handling of partition-related metadata during these operations, potentially allowing authenticated users to craft malicious partition commands that could trigger unexpected behavior in the database engine. This could result in memory corruption, privilege escalation, or denial of service conditions that affect the overall stability and security of the database system.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to database administrators and organizations relying on MySQL Server for critical data operations. Remote authenticated users who can establish connections to the database server can potentially exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, modify database contents, or disrupt database services entirely. The confidentiality aspect of the vulnerability means that attackers could potentially access data that should be restricted, while the integrity impact suggests that database modifications could occur without proper authorization. The availability component indicates that the system could become unstable or completely unavailable to legitimate users, potentially causing business disruption and data unavailability. Organizations using affected MySQL versions face potential data breaches, service interruptions, and compliance violations that could result in substantial financial and reputational damage.
The vulnerability aligns with several CWE classifications including CWE-119 for memory corruption issues and potentially CWE-20 for input validation weaknesses that could allow attackers to manipulate database operations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation, defense evasion, and denial of service operations, as attackers could leverage the flaw to gain higher privileges within the database system or disrupt services. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of MySQL Server, implementing network segmentation to limit access to database servers, and monitoring for suspicious partition-related database operations. Additional security controls such as database activity monitoring, regular vulnerability assessments, and strict access controls for database accounts can help reduce the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date database software and implementing comprehensive security monitoring to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts.