Description
mysqld_safe in Oracle MySQL through 5.5.51, 5.6.x through 5.6.32, and 5.7.x through 5.7.14; MariaDB; Percona Server before 5.5.51-38.2, 5.6.x before 5.6.32-78-1, and 5.7.x before 5.7.14-8; and Percona XtraDB Cluster before 5.5.41-37.0, 5.6.x before 5.6.32-25.17, and 5.7.x before 5.7.14-26.17, when using file-based logging, allows local users with access to the mysql account to gain root privileges via a symlink attack on error logs and possibly other files.
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 8 | mariadb-10.0 | 10.0.29-0+deb8u1 | DSA-3770-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | mariadb-10.0 | 10.0.29-0ubuntu0.16.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | mysql-5.5 | 5.5.52-0ubuntu0.14.04.1 | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 7 | mariadb +7 | 1:5.5.56-2.el7 | RHSA-2017:2192 |
| RHEL 3 | rh-mariadb100-mariadb +8 | 1:10.0.33-3.el6 | RHSA-2018:0279 |
| RHEL 3 | rh-mariadb101-galera | 25.3.12-12.el6 | RHSA-2018:0574 |
| RHEL 3 | rh-mariadb101-mariadb +9 | 1:10.1.29-3.el6 | RHSA-2018:0574 |
| RHEL 2 | mysql55-mysql +5 | 5.5.52-1.el6 | RHSA-2016:2130 |
| RHEL 2 | rh-mysql56-mysql +7 | 5.6.34-2.el6 | RHSA-2016:2749 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP1 | mariadb104 | 10.4.30-150100.3.5.10 | SUSE-RU-2023:3956-1 |
| SLES 15 SP1 | python-mysqlclient | 1.4.6-150100.3.3.7 | SUSE-RU-2023:3956-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | lz4 | 1.8.0-3.5.2 | SUSE-RU-2023:4991-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | mariadb-connector-c | 3.1.22-2.35.1 | SUSE-RU-2023:4991-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | mariadb104 | 10.4.30-8.5.46 | SUSE-RU-2023:4991-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | python-mysqlclient | 1.3.14-8.9.2 | SUSE-RU-2023:4991-1 |
| SLES 12 SP2 | mariadb | 10.0.29-22.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0412-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | mariadb | 10.0.29-22.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0412-1 |
| SLES 12 | mariadb | 10.0.29-20.23.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0411-1 |
Show 6 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 15 SP1 | mariadb104 | 10.4.30-150100.3.5.10 | SUSE-RU-2023:3956-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP1 | python-mysqlclient | 1.4.6-150100.3.3.7 | SUSE-RU-2023:3956-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP5 | lz4 | 1.8.0-3.5.2 | SUSE-RU-2023:4991-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP5 | mariadb-connector-c | 3.1.22-2.35.1 | SUSE-RU-2023:4991-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP5 | mariadb104 | 10.4.30-8.5.46 | SUSE-RU-2023:4991-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP5 | python-mysqlclient | 1.3.14-8.9.2 | SUSE-RU-2023:4991-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP2 | mariadb | 10.0.29-22.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0412-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | mariadb | 10.0.29-22.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0412-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 | mariadb | 10.0.29-20.23.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0411-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP1 | mariadb104 | 10.4.30-150100.3.5.10 | SUSE-RU-2023:3956-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP1 | python-mysqlclient | 1.4.6-150100.3.3.7 | SUSE-RU-2023:3956-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | mariadb | 10.6.4-2.1 | openSUSE-SU-2024:11038-1 |
Alpine
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.24 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.23 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.22 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.21 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.20 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
Show 17 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.19 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.18 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.17 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.16 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.15 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.14 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.13 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.12 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.11 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.10 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.9 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.8 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.7 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.6 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.5 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.4 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.3 | mariadb | 10.1.21-r0 | — |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 7 | mariadb +7 | 1:5.5.56-2.el7 | ELSA-2017-2192 |
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.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 1
- MySQL / MariaDB / PerconaDB 5.5.x/5.6.x/5.7.x - 'root' System User Privilege Escalation EDB-40679 · local · Nov 1, 2016
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 12
- RHSA-2018:0574 Red Hat Security Advisory: rh-mariadb101-mariadb and rh-mariadb101-galera security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 29, 2026
- RHSA-2018:0279 Red Hat Security Advisory: rh-mariadb100-mariadb security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 29, 2026
- RHSA-2017:2192 Red Hat Security Advisory: mariadb security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 29, 2026
- RHSA-2016:2749 Red Hat Security Advisory: rh-mysql56-mysql security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 29, 2026
- RHSA-2016:2130 Red Hat Security Advisory: mysql55-mysql security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 29, 2026
- DSA-3770-1 mariadb-10.0 - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0412-1 Security update for mariadb SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-RU-2023:4991-1 Recommended update for mariadb104 SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:11038-1 libmariadbd-devel-10.6.4-2.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-RU-2023:3956-1 Recommended update for mariadb104 SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0411-1 Security update for mariadb SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- ELSA-2017-2192 Moderate: mariadb security and bug fix update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Aug 7, 2017
References
- RHSA-2016:2749 vendor-advisory
- 20161101 MySQL / MariaDB / PerconaDB - Privilege Escalation / Race Condition Exploit [CVE-2016-6663 / OCVE-2016-5616] mailing-list
- 93612 vdb-entry
- https://www.percona.com/blog/2016/11/02/percona-responds-to-cve-2016-6663-and-cve-2016-6664/
- RHSA-2018:0574 vendor-advisory
- GLSA-201702-18 vendor-advisory
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2016-2881722.html
- 20161104 MySQL / MariaDB / PerconaDB - Root Privilege Escalation Exploit ( CVE-2016-6664 / CVE-2016-5617 ) mailing-list
- RHSA-2016:2130 vendor-advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/139491/MySQL-MariaDB-PerconaDB-Root-Privilege-Escalation.html
- 40679 exploit
- http://legalhackers.com/advisories/MySQL-Maria-Percona-RootPrivEsc-CVE-2016-6664-5617-Exploit.html
- RHSA-2018:0279 vendor-advisory
- DSA-3770 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2017:2192 vendor-advisory