CVE-2015-4858 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle MySQL Server 5.5.45 and earlier, and 5.6.26 and earlier, allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via vectors related to DML, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-4913.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4858 represents a significant availability threat within Oracle MySQL Server implementations that affects multiple versions including 5.5.45 and earlier, as well as 5.6.26 and earlier releases. This issue specifically targets the Data Manipulation Language processing capabilities within the database system, creating potential for remote attackers who possess valid authentication credentials to disrupt service availability. The vulnerability operates through mechanisms related to DML operations, which form the core of database interaction patterns including insert, update, and delete commands that users employ to manipulate stored data.
The technical nature of this vulnerability lies within the insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms that govern how MySQL processes certain DML statements. When authenticated users submit specifically crafted DML operations to the database server, the system fails to properly handle these inputs, leading to potential resource exhaustion or process termination that ultimately compromises the availability of the database service. This flaw operates at the application layer and requires legitimate authentication credentials to exploit, making it particularly concerning for environments where privileged database accounts maintain persistent access. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-20 indicates improper input validation issues that allow attackers to manipulate system behavior through malformed data inputs.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for database availability and business continuity operations. Organizations utilizing affected MySQL versions face potential downtime scenarios where database services become unresponsive or crash entirely due to maliciously crafted DML operations. The remote nature of the attack means that unauthorized parties can exploit this weakness from outside the network perimeter, provided they have valid authentication credentials. This threat model aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499 which covers network denial of service attacks, specifically targeting database availability through application-level vulnerabilities. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise data integrity and system reliability, particularly in mission-critical environments where database availability is paramount.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest Oracle security patches and updates to affected MySQL installations, as well as implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the scope of potential exploitation. Database administrators should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect anomalous DML patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's relationship to CVE-2015-4913 highlights the importance of comprehensive vulnerability assessment and patch management processes, as these related issues demonstrate the broader attack surface within MySQL's DML processing capabilities. Organizations should also review their authentication and authorization protocols to ensure that only necessary database privileges are granted to users, reducing the potential impact of credential compromise. Additionally, implementing database activity monitoring and anomaly detection systems can help identify and respond to exploitation attempts before they cause significant service disruption.