Vigil@nce - MySQL: privilege elevation via replication
October 2010 by Vigil@nce
This bulletin was written by Vigil@nce : http://vigilance.fr/
SYNTHESIS OF THE VULNERABILITY
A local attacker with an access to a primary MySQL server can
execute SQL code on a secondary SQL server in a superior version.
Severity: 2/4
Creation date: 04/10/2010
DESCRIPTION OF THE VULNERABILITY
The MySQL replication copies data from a primary server to a
secondary server. The SQL code is run on the secondary server with
SUPER privileges, because it first ran successfully on the primary.
MySQL supports comments indicating SQL code to execute on a
specific version:
/*!5.1.40 here SQL code for versions superior to 5.1.40 */
When the secondary server has a MySQL version superior to the
primary, an attacker can use a comment containing code for the
secondary server only. As this code is run with SUPER privileges,
the attacker can thus elevate his privileges on the secondary
server.
A local attacker with an access to a primary MySQL server can
therefore execute SQL code on a secondary SQL server in a superior
version.
ACCESS TO THE COMPLETE VIGIL@NCE BULLETIN
http://vigilance.fr/vulnerability/MySQL-privilege-elevation-via-replication-9999