CVE-2016-0653 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle MySQL 5.7.10 and earlier allows local users to affect availability via vectors related to FTS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/26/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0653 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle MySQL database systems affecting versions 5.7.10 and earlier. This issue resides within the Full Text Search (FTS) functionality of the database engine, creating potential pathways for local attackers to disrupt system availability. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability indicates that the exact technical flaw within the FTS implementation remains undisclosed, though the impact clearly manifests in availability disruption rather than data compromise or privilege escalation.
The technical flaw specifically manifests within the Full Text Search component of MySQL, which is designed to enable efficient text searching capabilities within database tables. When local users exploit this vulnerability through FTS-related vectors, they can potentially cause system instability or complete service unavailability. The FTS functionality in MySQL relies on complex indexing and search algorithms that process large volumes of text data, making it a prime target for availability-focused attacks. The vulnerability likely stems from improper handling of search queries or indexing operations that can trigger memory corruption, resource exhaustion, or process termination within the MySQL server process.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses substantial risk to database availability and system reliability. Local attackers who can execute code on the same system as MySQL can leverage this weakness to cause denial of service conditions that may persist until the database server is manually restarted. The attack vector being local means that the threat actor must already have access to the system, which reduces the attack surface but does not eliminate the risk, particularly in environments where system access controls are insufficient or compromised. The availability disruption can affect business-critical applications that depend on MySQL for data storage and retrieval, potentially causing cascading failures throughout dependent systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to MySQL versions that have patched this vulnerability, which would typically be versions released after the vulnerability disclosure date. System administrators should also consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual resource consumption patterns or process behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which deals with improper restriction of operations within a memory buffer, and may also relate to CWE-400 which covers resource exhaustion vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under privilege escalation and denial of service techniques, potentially enabling adversaries to move laterally within compromised systems or cause persistent availability issues that could impact business operations. Regular security assessments and patch management programs should be prioritized to prevent exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities in database systems.