CVE-2015-4904 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle MySQL Server 5.6.25 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via unknown vectors related to libmysqld.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4904 resides within Oracle MySQL Server versions 5.6.25 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that affects the libmysqld library component. This unspecified weakness enables remote authenticated attackers to compromise system availability, though the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed in the public CVE description. The libmysqld library serves as a key component in MySQL's embedded server functionality, providing a simplified interface for applications to interact with the database engine without requiring a separate server process. The vulnerability's classification as affecting availability suggests potential denial-of-service conditions that could disrupt database operations and compromise system reliability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability lies within the libmysqld library implementation, which handles embedded database connections and operations. Authentication requirements indicate that attackers must possess valid credentials to exploit this weakness, though this does not mitigate the potential impact on system availability. The unspecified vector suggests that the flaw may involve memory corruption, resource exhaustion, or improper input validation within the embedded server library. This type of vulnerability typically operates at the application layer and can potentially be leveraged to cause system instability, process termination, or resource depletion that affects the overall database service availability.
From an operational perspective, the impact of CVE-2015-4904 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise business continuity and data integrity. Organizations utilizing MySQL Server 5.6.25 or earlier versions with embedded server functionality face significant risk exposure, as authenticated users could exploit this weakness to cause system unavailability. The vulnerability affects systems where the libmysqld library is actively used, which includes applications that embed MySQL functionality directly into their processes rather than connecting to a separate MySQL server instance. This makes the attack surface broader for applications that rely on embedded database capabilities, potentially affecting web applications, enterprise software, and custom database solutions.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the broader MySQL security landscape and its potential for exploitation within network environments. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under the 'Execution' and 'Impact' domains, specifically related to 'Exploitation for Client Execution' and 'Resource Exhaustion' techniques. Organizations should prioritize patch management and upgrade efforts to address this vulnerability, as the embedded server functionality is commonly used in various application scenarios. The CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) classification for such vulnerabilities typically falls under weakness categories related to resource management or input validation, though the specific CWE identifier is not provided in the CVE description. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected systems, network segmentation to limit access to authenticated users, and implementation of monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should review their application architectures to identify and reduce reliance on vulnerable embedded server configurations where possible.