CVE-2016-0665 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle MySQL 5.6.28 and earlier and 5.7.10 and earlier allows local users to affect availability via vectors related to Security: Encryption.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/26/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0665 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle MySQL database systems that affects versions 5.6.28 and earlier, as well as 5.7.10 and earlier. This issue resides within the encryption security components of the database software, creating potential risks for system availability that can be exploited by local users. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability description suggests that the exact technical mechanism remains classified or not fully disclosed in the initial reporting, but the impact on system availability indicates a critical concern for database administrators and security professionals managing MySQL installations.
The technical flaw manifests within the encryption subsystem of MySQL, specifically affecting how the database handles security-related encryption operations. Local users who can access the system with legitimate credentials or through other means can potentially exploit this weakness to disrupt the availability of the database service. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of availability attacks, where the attacker's goal is to make the system or service inaccessible to legitimate users rather than to gain unauthorized access or extract data. The encryption component being targeted suggests that the vulnerability may involve improper handling of encryption keys, certificate management, or the encryption process itself, which could lead to denial of service conditions.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses substantial risks to database environments that rely on MySQL for critical business operations. Local attackers with access to the system can potentially cause database downtime, service interruptions, or complete system unavailability, leading to significant business disruption and potential financial losses. The local user requirement means that the threat actor must already have some level of system access, but this access level can be obtained through various means including compromised accounts, insider threats, or exploitation of other vulnerabilities that lead to local system access. Organizations with MySQL installations that have not been updated to versions beyond the affected releases are particularly vulnerable to this type of attack.
The vulnerability aligns with several cybersecurity frameworks and threat models, particularly those addressing availability and confidentiality in database security. According to the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) taxonomy, this could be categorized under CWE-207, which deals with Improper Handling of Exceptional Conditions, or potentially CWE-310, which addresses Cryptographic Issues. The attack vector follows the MITRE ATT&CK framework's approach to privilege escalation and defense evasion, where local users can exploit weaknesses in system components to maintain persistent access or disrupt services. Organizations should consider implementing comprehensive monitoring solutions to detect unusual encryption-related activities that might indicate exploitation attempts, as well as maintaining updated threat intelligence feeds to understand potential variants or related vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-0665 should prioritize immediate patching of affected MySQL installations to versions that have addressed this specific encryption vulnerability. System administrators should conduct thorough inventory assessments to identify all affected systems within their environments and prioritize remediation efforts based on risk assessment. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict access controls to limit local system access, enabling comprehensive logging and monitoring of encryption-related activities, and establishing incident response procedures specifically tailored to handle availability-based attacks targeting database systems. Network segmentation and principle of least privilege should be enforced to minimize the potential impact of local access compromises, while regular security audits should verify that encryption configurations remain properly implemented and secure against known attack vectors.