Gaining access to mysql given physical access to the machine - mysql

I own a machine running third party software. I input data into this software and it stores that data into its own mysql database. I'd like query the mysql database directly, but I don't know the credentials that the application is using.
I have read and write access for all files in the machine, including the files in the mysql data directory. Theoretically, I should be able to read the data directly from these files (.ibd and .frm files). But practically, I don't know where to start. I'm thinking that these data files are somewhat readable since encrypting them would destroy their index-ability.
Is this feasible? Or would I have to reverse engineer the data file format in order to read it?
Or even better - is there some config file that I can change which would implicitly trust all local connections similar to postgres?

You could read the mysql files directly, but even if they're now encrypted, the columns names might be weird and you could have to spend some time reading them.
Another point could be looking for config files from that software, that could have the login/password (very very low probability, but who knows?)
And the best would be:
make a backup of the mysql files
in another mysql instalation / computer (to not break your software), follow the reset mysql password guide

Try accessing it via the command line on the local machine:
shell> mysql db_name
(from MySQL documentation)
From here, you can create yourself an account if you need to connect from other client software.
Or have you already tried that?

If you have root access to the machine that MySQL is running on, then you can reset the MySQL root password by following the procedure at: http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/recover-mysql-root-password.html. Once you've reset the root password, you can then login to MySQL as the root MySQL user, and access any of the databases, and query them. The only caveat to keep in mind is that changing the MySQL root password could potentially prevent your application from accessing the MySQL database, but that would be surprising as the application should be designed to connect to the database using a MySQL user account (with limited privileges) other than the root MySQL user.

Related

Mysqldump on unencrypted Amazon RDS is creating encrypted .db file

I'm trying to create a dump of my RDS data and use it locally.
I've used the command:
mysqldump -h myhostname.rds.amazonaws.com -u my_username -p my_dbname > ~/Downloads/dump.sql
When I try to view this data in a tool like DB Browser for sqlite, I get a prompt saying it's encrypted, asking for a password.
I thought maybe it needed to be converted into sqlite first, so I've done this in RazorSQL -> But I still get the same issue. Also, when I try to load the DB into NodeJS's sqlite module I get:
not able to query Table in SQLite DB Error: SQLITE_NOTADB: file is encrypted or is not a database
I've checked my RDS settings, and it says:
Encryption details:
Encryption enabled
No
So I have no idea what's going on here. Any tips? Does the file extension (.sql, .db etc) make a difference here?
When I try to view this data in a tool like DB Browser for sqlite
Sqlite is an entirely different thing than MySQL. There is very little overlap in tools that can work with both.
You're using a tool that can't be used for the purpose to which you're applying it, so you're getting a confusing error:
file is encrypted or is not a database
In other words, the tool is unable to make sense of the file, so one of two things is has happened: the file is encrypted or is not a [sqlite] database [at all].
The problem is the latter.
The file is not encrypted. Even if the RDS instance is encrypted, the generated dump file would still not be encrypted, because encryption in RDS is storage-level encryption of the data, at rest, on the disk volume backing the RDS instance. Encryption in RDS is transparent to the user.
The problem is that what you have here is a dump file -- a series of SQL statements that can be used to reconstruct your database on another MySQL server.
Your file is plain text. You can view it will a text editor. What you can't do is use the file as a database -- that's something Sqlite can do, because Sqlite stores the database inside a single, transportable file. MySQL is a different architecture.
You'll need to have the same version (e.g. 5.7.x) of MySQL Server installed locally, and then load this file onto it.
shell> mysql [options] < my_dump_file.sql
To reload a dump file written by mysqldump that consists of SQL statements, use it as input to the mysql client.
https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/reloading-sql-format-dumps.html
You can also use query browser tools for MySQL like Toad or Workbench, but a local MySQL Server is required.

mysql information_schema empty and not populating

Running WAMP localhost server With php 5.6.18 and MySQL 5.7.11 In project that im working on now i need to get some column data form information_schema.COLUMNS table, but information_schema DB is completely empty - 0 rows for every table in this DB For additional information - I have like 10 differnet DB on this MySQL, some are imported some are made from scratch in phpmyadmin.So im completely lost - tried to google but no luck.Maybe i miss something essential and trivial like some configuration of MySQL?
Execute this query:
mysql> SHOW GRANTS;
This will show you that either you are not logging in as the user you intend to use, or that this user lacks permissions on the tables in question.
In this case, the user may have no permissions at all. MySQL has a special permission called USAGE, which may seem slightly deceptively named if you aren't familiar with what it means. It means you can "use" the server -- that is, you can log in. But that is all it means. If you possess only the USAGE ON *.* privilege, this means you have permission to log in to the server, but no permissions on anything else.
The information_schema is integrated with the permissions system. You can't see information about database objects for which you don't have permissions. An empty information_schema.columns table suggests a permissions issue for the user you are using to connect to the server.
Sometimes this may be issue when you copy and paste the database's folders in mysql folder. Don't copy that way. The best way to export the databases using "export" command in "phpmyadmin" or use "mysqldump" command in mysql command line client to copy the data or export data from one to another.It will generate "yourdata.sql" file at the last , You can import that data using "export command in "phpmyadmin" . In your method is successful for "MyISAM" database driver in mysql. Modern mysql servers default database driver is "InnoDB" and it not success in when copy the database data folder on to another machine. If you have copy of previous copy of the databases from the old machine, try to export the "yourdata.sql" file using export method in "phpmyadmin" web interface.
I faced same problem when I transfer/shifted my mysql folder to other location.
And configured DB to point Mysql folder accordingly.
However, Information_schema was not getting updated though rest DB queries were running fine.I could't find proper solution but the way around was from mysql editor (like workbench) do inspect schema.
You will get an option in bottom to 'Information Outdated' and then click on Analyze table. You will find that Information_schema start calculating correct size and other details.

Differences between SQLite and MySQL - login and security

At first I searched in Stack Overflow about the difference between MySQL and SQLite. So there is some answers but still I want to know something. When accessing MySQL I need to give host, username, password and database parameters. But when accessing SQLite I just give database name. Can anyone explain me this why, and for security reasons also, should not be there password for SQLite database, can not be it just downloaded for example from server, so I am totally stuck. So need your help.
The difference is that MySQL is a database server, while SQLite is a database engine that works against single database files.
You are correct that the SQLite database file could just be downloaded if it's placed right in the web application where anyone can reach it.
Most server providers offer a folder where you can place files like this, so that the web application itself can reach it, but it's not directly downloadable.
You can also optionally add protection to the SQLite database file. See this question:
Password Protect a SQLite DB. Is it possible?
SQLite is mainly used for mobile and tablet apps.So they are just used for a single system.
But in MySql its a complete database and can be used from multiple system. So for increasing security ,we have to give all these. So that no one can misuse the data...
SQLite is just a file. If you have read access to the file that is the implicit security model (as well as the possibility to use database encryption).
MySQL is a network service. It can listen on an internet facing socket, meaning anyone in the world can access it if they have the right authentication credentials.
SQLite is file based, MySQL is a service which runs on the server. With SQLite you don't need to enter the database name, but actually the database file.
If you put the database file at an inaccessible location, you should be totally fine and the user will not be able to download the file.

How do I register an mysql database?

Sorry for a noob question regarding MySQL. I downloaded FlightStats to learn about mysql but I can't figure out how to register it with my localhost mysql db. I know in MS SQL you can simply register any sql db using sql studio. I tried to google but come up with no result. Perhaps, my search phrase is wrong. I'm searching with "how to register a mysql database, register a mysql database...etc.". How do you register or setup an database from existing database like FlightStats? I'm using DBVisualizer. Is there a way in dbVis that I'm not aware of to regsiter a database?
Thanks
edit: sorry for the bad wording. I found this. I have the .myd, .myi and .frm and I want to get it to restore(?) with my local mysql instance. I look at all the answers but I'm still confuse as how you restore the database from those 3 files.
A little background first. The FlightStats download page linked to in the original question appears to provide zipped tarballs of the binary table storage files from the MySQL data directory. Given that this is considered a viable means of distribution, and combined with the use of MERGE tables, I would surmise that this tarball contains a bunch of MyISAM data files (.myi, .myd). Jack's edit confirms that this is the situation.
This is an atypical means of distributing a MySQL data set, although not at all uncommon when backing up MyISAM storage, and probably not all that unheard of for moving large data sets around; it likely works out considerably more space-efficient than a corresponding dump file. Of course, in SQL Server land, it's pretty common to attach database files into an instance.
Broadly speaking, you'd recover the database as follows:
Locate the MySQL data directory; typically /var/mysql or similar
Create a new directory with the desired database name e.g. flightdata
Extract the .myi, .myd and other files from the tarball into this directory
Make sure the entire directory is owned by the user MySQL runs as (usually mysql) - use chmod -R to make sure you get everything
Open a MySQL console
USE <database-name>
SHOW TABLES
You should see some tables listed. In addition, the downloads page linked includes a couple of SQL scripts, which contain SQL commands that you need to run against your database once it's in place. These will cause the merge definitions and table indexes to be rebuilt. You can pipe these into the command-line client, e.g. mysql -u<username> -p<password> <database-name> < <sql-file>.
It may be a good idea to shut down the MySQL server while you're doing this; use e.g. /etc/init.d/mysql stop or similar, and restart once the files are extracted in place.
There's generally a way to import sql files using a GUI database tool. I'm not familiar with DBVisualizer, but as long as you have a MySQL command line client installed you can do it there as well. It's pretty easy:
Create a blank schema. You can do this in your GUI tool or on the command line client. Just use CREATE DATABASE flightstats;, or whatever name you want.
Use the following command line syntax to import/run an sql file on the new schema: mysql -u <username> -p flightstats < /path/to/file.sql
The -p option prompts for a password. I generally set up the database using step 1 as the root user, then GRANT some permissions on it to a new user id, then use that user id to run the SQL file.
This process is pretty much what a GUI tool will do in the background.
Registering a database? dont know what that means however mysql gui tools can help you creating a database. Have a look at it or better you download phpmyadmin.
Google WAMP for Windows.
Google MAMP for Mac.
Google LAMP for Linux.
Any questions?

mysql restore for files on another server

I have a test database on a separate remote server than my production DB. Every once in awhile, I want to try and test things by uploading a copy of my production DB to my testing DB. Unfortunately, the backup file is now half a gig and I'm having trouble transferring it via FTP or SSH. Is there an easy way that I can use the mysql restore command between servers? Also, is there another way to move over large files that I'm not considering? Half a gig doesn't seem that big, I would imagine that people run into this issue frequently.
Thanks!
Are the servers accessible to each other?
If so, you can just pipe the data from one db to another without using a file.
ex: mysqldump [options] | mysql -h test -u username -ppasswd
0.Please consider whether you really need production data (especially if it contains some sensitive information)
1.The simplest solution is to compress the backup on the source server (usually gzip), transfer it across the wire, then decompress on the target server.
http://www.techiecorner.com/44/how-to-backup-mysql-database-in-command-line-with-compression/
2.If you don't need the exact replica of production data (e.g. you don't need some application logs, errors, some other technical stuff) you can consider creating a backup and restore on a source server to a different DB name, delete all unnecessary data and THEN take a backup that you will use.
3.Restore full backup once on your reference server in your Dev environment and then copy transaction logs only (to replay them on the reference server). Depending on the usage pattern transaction logs may take a lot less space as the whole database.
Mysql allows you to connect to a remote database server to run sql commands. Using this feature, we can pipe the output from mysqldump and ask mysql to connect to the remote database server to populate the new database.
mysqldump -u root -p rootpass SalesDb | mysql --host=185.32.31.96 -C SalesDb
Use an efficient transfer method, rather than ftp.
If you have a dump file created by mysqldump, on the test db server, and you update it every so often. I think you could save time (if not disk space) by using rsync to transfer it. Rsync will use ssh and compress data for the transfer, but I think both the local and remote files should/could be uncompressed.
Rsync will only transfer the changed portion of a file.
It may take some time to decide what, precisely, has changed in a dump file, but the transfer should be quick.
I must admit though, I've never done it with a half-gigabyte dump file.