CVE-2015-4905 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle MySQL Server 5.6.23 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to affect availability via vectors related to Server : DML.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/23/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-4905 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle MySQL Server versions 5.6.23 and earlier, specifically impacting the server's Data Manipulation Language functionality. This unspecified weakness allows remote authenticated attackers to potentially disrupt system availability, creating a serious operational risk for database environments that rely on MySQL as their primary data management platform. The vulnerability's classification as affecting server-side DML operations indicates that it targets fundamental database operations such as insert, update, and delete commands that form the core of database interaction patterns.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling mechanisms within MySQL's server implementation. When authenticated users execute certain DML operations, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize the inputs, potentially allowing maliciously crafted commands to trigger unexpected behavior in the database server. This weakness could manifest through buffer overflows, memory corruption issues, or denial of service conditions that cause the MySQL server process to crash or become unresponsive. The fact that this vulnerability requires authentication suggests that it operates within the context of legitimate user sessions, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by insiders or compromised accounts.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations relying on MySQL databases, as it can lead to complete service disruption and potential data loss. The availability compromise affects database systems that may be critical to business operations, potentially causing downtime that impacts customer-facing applications, transaction processing, and overall system reliability. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to repeatedly crash database servers, leading to extended periods of unavailability that could result in financial losses, compliance violations, and reputational damage. The remote nature of the attack vector means that exploitation can occur from any location with network access to the MySQL server, making the attack surface much broader than local vulnerabilities.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through official Oracle patches and updates to address this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to MySQL Server versions that have been patched to resolve the DML-related issues, ensuring that all authentication mechanisms are properly configured and monitored. Security teams should implement network segmentation to limit access to MySQL servers, enforce strict access controls, and monitor database logs for suspicious activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in database configurations and ensure that security controls remain effective against evolving threats.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses weaknesses in memory management and buffer overflows, and potentially relates to CWE-400 which covers denial of service conditions in software systems. The attack patterns associated with CVE-2015-4905 correspond to techniques found in the ATT&CK framework under the T1499 category for network denial of service, and may also involve T1078 for valid accounts usage to gain access to database resources. Organizations should consider implementing database activity monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous DML patterns and alert security teams to potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date database software and implementing comprehensive security controls that address both authentication and operational integrity aspects of database systems.