Description
MySQL 5.0 before 5.0.66, 5.1 before 5.1.26, and 6.0 before 6.0.6 does not properly handle a b'' (b single-quote single-quote) token, aka an empty bit-string literal, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) by using this token in a SQL statement.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 5.0 | mysql-dfsg-5.0 | 5.0.51a-24+lenny1 | DSA-1783-1 |
| Debian 4.0 | mysql-dfsg-5.0 | 5.0.32-7etch10 | DSA-1783-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 5 | mysql +4 | 5.0.77-3.el5 | RHSA-2009:1289 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | httpd +2 | 2.2.11-2.el5s2 | RHSA-2009:1067 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | mod_jk +1 | 1.2.28-2.el5s2 | RHSA-2009:1067 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | mod_ssl | 1:2.2.11-2.el5s2 | RHSA-2009:1067 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | mysql +6 | 5.0.79-2.el5s2 | RHSA-2009:1067 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | mysql-connector-odbc | 3.51.27r695-1.el5s2 | RHSA-2009:1067 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | perl-DBD-MySQL | 4.010-1.el5s2 | RHSA-2009:1067 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | perl-DBD-Pg | 1.49-5.el5s2 | RHSA-2009:1067 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | php +18 | 5.2.9-2.el5s2 | RHSA-2009:1067 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | postgresql +11 | 8.2.13-2.el5s2 | RHSA-2009:1067 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | postgresql-jdbc | 8.2.509-2jpp.el5s2 | RHSA-2009:1067 |
| Red Hat Rhel Application Stack 2 | postgresqlclient81 | 8.1.17-1.el5s2 | RHSA-2009:1067 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Exploit-DB 1
- MySQL 6.0.4 - Empty Binary String Literal Remote Denial of Service EDB-32348 · dos · Mar 28, 2008 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 3
- RHSA-2009:1289 Red Hat Security Advisory: mysql security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- DSA-1783-1 mysql-dfsg-5.0 - several vulnerabilities Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- RHSA-2009:1067 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Application Stack v2.3 security and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
References
- http://bugs.mysql.com/bug.php?id=35658
- MDVSA-2009:094 vendor-advisory
- http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/news-5-1-26.html
- USN-1397-1 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2009:1067 vendor-advisory
- http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/releasenotes-es-5-0-66.html
- http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/6.0/en/news-6-0-6.html
- [oss-security] 20080909 Re: CVE request: MySQL empty bit-string literal server crash mailing-list
- ADV-2008-2554 vdb-entry
- USN-671-1 vendor-advisory
- https://bugs.gentoo.org/237166
- mysql-bitstring-dos(45042) vdb-entry
- DSA-1783 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2009:1289 vendor-advisory
- 32769 third-party-advisory
- 32759 third-party-advisory
- 34907 third-party-advisory
- [oss-security] 20080909 CVE request: MySQL empty bit-string literal server crash mailing-list
- SUSE-SR:2008:025 vendor-advisory
- 36566 third-party-advisory
- 31769 third-party-advisory
- 1020858 vdb-entry
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:10521 vdb-entry signature