CVE-2015-4879 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle MySQL Server 5.5.44 and earlier, and 5.6.25 and earlier, allows remote authenticated users to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability via vectors related to DML.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4879 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle MySQL Server versions 5.5.44 and earlier, as well as 5.6.25 and earlier. This issue affects database systems that are widely deployed across enterprise environments, potentially exposing sensitive data and disrupting critical business operations. The vulnerability falls under the category of unspecified nature, indicating that the specific technical details were not fully disclosed in the initial CVE description, which is common for vulnerabilities that require further analysis and patch development. The affected versions of MySQL Server represent a significant portion of the database infrastructure that organizations rely upon for data storage and retrieval operations.
The technical flaw associated with CVE-2015-4879 relates to Data Manipulation Language operations within the MySQL database system, specifically affecting authenticated remote users who can leverage this vulnerability to compromise system security. This type of vulnerability typically stems from inadequate input validation or improper handling of database operations that could allow malicious actors to execute unauthorized commands or manipulate database contents. The DML-related nature suggests that the vulnerability may involve issues with INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, or SELECT operations, potentially allowing attackers to modify data integrity, access confidential information, or disrupt availability through resource exhaustion or denial-of-service conditions. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they can be exploited by users who already have legitimate database access, making them harder to detect and prevent through traditional network-level security measures.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-4879 extends beyond simple data compromise, as it affects all three fundamental principles of information security: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Attackers with authenticated access could potentially extract sensitive information from databases, modify or corrupt existing data, and cause service disruptions that impact business operations. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation does not require physical access to the database server, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with distributed database deployments or those that allow remote database connections. This vulnerability could lead to significant financial losses, regulatory compliance violations, and damage to organizational reputation, especially when considering that MySQL databases often contain sensitive customer information, financial records, and business-critical data.
Organizations affected by CVE-2015-4879 should implement immediate remediation measures including applying the latest Oracle security patches and updates to bring their MySQL installations up to supported versions. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit database access to only authorized users and applications, while monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect anomalous database activities that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and could potentially map to ATT&CK techniques such as credential access and data manipulation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues, while database administrators should follow principle of least privilege and implement proper audit logging to track all database operations and maintain security posture against evolving threats.