Insecure Temporary File Creation In MySQL

Insecure Temporary File Creation In MySQL Two MySQL utilities create temporary files with hardcoded paths, allowing an attacker to use a symlink to trick MySQL into overwriting important data. MySQL 2004-05-25 2004-05-25 46242 local 4.0.18-r2 4.0.18-r2

MySQL is a popular open-source multi-threaded, multi-user SQL database server.

The MySQL bug reporting utility (mysqlbug) creates a temporary file to log bug reports to. A malicious local user with write access to the /tmp directory could create a symbolic link of the name mysqlbug-N pointing to a protected file, such as /etc/passwd, such that when mysqlbug creates the Nth log file, it would end up overwriting the target file. A similar vulnerability exists with the mysql_multi utility, which creates a temporary file called mysql_multi.log.

Since mysql_multi runs as root, a local attacker could use this to destroy any other users' data or corrupt and destroy system files.

One could modify both scripts to log to a directory that users do not have write permission to, such as /var/log/mysql/.

All users should upgrade to the latest stable version of MySQL.


    # emerge sync

    # emerge -pv ">=dev-db/mysql-4.0.18-r2"
    # emerge ">=dev-db/mysql-4.0.18-r2"

CAN-2004-0381 CAN-2004-0388 dmargoli