CVE-2015-2641 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 unknown vectors related to Server : Security : Privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2641 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle MySQL Server versions 5.6.24 and earlier, specifically affecting the server's security and privilege management mechanisms. This issue falls under the broader category of availability attacks that can be executed by authenticated remote users, indicating that the threat actor must first establish legitimate credentials before exploiting the flaw. The unspecified nature of the exact attack vectors suggests that the vulnerability may encompass multiple related weaknesses within the privilege subsystem, potentially affecting various aspects of MySQL's access control and authentication mechanisms.
The technical flaw resides in the server's handling of security privileges, where the vulnerability allows authenticated users to manipulate or exploit privilege structures in ways that could compromise system availability. This type of vulnerability typically stems from improper validation of user permissions, inadequate access controls, or flawed privilege escalation mechanisms within the MySQL server architecture. The issue demonstrates how even authenticated users with legitimate access can potentially leverage their credentials to cause denial of service or availability disruptions, which represents a serious breach of the principle of least privilege and proper access control enforcement. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability creates an attack surface where legitimate users could be weaponized to cause system-wide availability issues.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-2641 extends beyond simple privilege manipulation as it can result in complete system unavailability or significant degradation of service for authorized users. Attackers could potentially disrupt database operations, prevent legitimate users from accessing critical data, or cause cascading failures within applications that depend on MySQL services. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where MySQL serves as a critical backend component for business applications, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to cause maximum operational disruption. The availability impact is particularly concerning because it can affect not just individual database operations but entire application ecosystems that rely on MySQL for data persistence and retrieval.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected MySQL Server installations to address this vulnerability, as the risk of exploitation increases with the presence of authenticated users within the system. The recommended mitigation strategy includes upgrading to MySQL Server versions that have addressed this privilege-related security issue, along with implementing additional monitoring and access control measures to detect anomalous privilege usage patterns. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and principle-based access controls to limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in software systems, and could potentially map to ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and denial of service operations within database environments.