Understanding mysql max_connect_errors

来自：http://mysqlblog.fivefarmers.com/2013/08/08/understanding-max_connect_errors/

 

Perhaps like many users, I had certain assumptions about what max_connect_errors really does – but in looking closely as part of investigating the new PERFORMANCE_SCHEMA.HOST_CACHE table in MySQL 5.6, I learned that some very fundamental elements had escaped my notice.  I’m writing this blog post to help others who hold similar misconceptions of what this option does.

 

Many, if not most, MySQL DBAs are familiar with “host blocked” errors:

C:\mysql-5.5.27-winx64>bin\mysql -utest_mce -P3307 -h192.168.2.8
ERROR 1129 (HY000): Host 'Crowder' is blocked because of many connection errors;
 unblock with 'mysqladmin flush-hosts'

The solution to this problem is readily apparent from the error message – some DBAs might not even bother to glance at the documentation regarding this.  Even those who do might miss the nuanced explanation of the root cause:

The value of the max_connect_errors system variable determines how many successive interrupted connection requests are permitted.

The use of “interrupted” is surely intentional here, and it’s key to understanding the first point I’ll make:

1. It provides no meaningful protection against brute force access attacks

Truly.  You can set max_connect_errors to any value you please, and it will have exactly zero impact on somebody trying to brute force their way into your system by guessing user names and passwords.  It will lock out a host if somebody does a dumb port scan 100 times successively without trying to log in, but who scans a port 100 times?  The useful information from a port scan is divulged in the initial scan:

1. MySQL is running on the specified port.
2. The version of MySQL is included in the handshake.
3. There are (or aren’t) accounts configured to allow access from the client machine, based on error code.
4. The default authentication mechanism preferred by the server.

What’s the use of scanning it an additional 99 times when you already have all the information you are going to get?

2. Authentication failures reset the counter

Strange, but true.  Not only do authentication failures not increment the host counter, they actually reset it to zero – along with all other errors other than handshake interruptions.  The only thing that matters is whether the handshake was interrupted or not.  If it wasn’t interrupted, it counts as “success” and reset the host counter – regardless of whether the end result was a successful connection or not.  So, if you want to run a dumb port scanner more than 100 times, just make sure you intersperse an actual connection attempt every 99 cycles or so to rest the counter.  Here’s my testing of MySQL 5.5 behavior:

mysql> select @@global.max_connect_errors;
+-----------------------------+
| @@global.max_connect_errors |
+-----------------------------+
|                           1 |
+-----------------------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

mysql> exit
Bye

D:\mysql-5.5.28-win32>bin\mysql -uhct -P3308 -h10.159.156.50 -ptest
ERROR 1129 (HY000): Host 'TFARMER-MYSQL.wh.oracle.com' is blocked 
because of many connection errors; unblock with 
'mysqladmin flush-hosts'

D:\mysql-5.5.28-win32>bin\mysqladmin -uroot -P3308 flush-hosts

D:\mysql-5.5.28-win32>start telnet 10.159.156.50 3308

D:\mysql-5.5.28-win32>bin\mysql -uhct -P3308 -h10.159.156.50 -ptest-bad
ERROR 1045 (28000): Access denied for user 
'hct'@'TFARMER-MYSQL.wh.oracle.com' (using password: YES)

D:\mysql-5.5.28-win32>start telnet 10.159.156.50 3308

D:\mysql-5.5.28-win32>bin\mysql -uhct -P3308 -h10.159.156.50 -ptest
Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
...
mysql> exit 
Bye

D:\mysql-5.5.28-win32>bin\mysqladmin -uroot -P3308 flush-hosts

D:\mysql-5.5.28-win32>start telnet 10.159.156.50 3308

D:\mysql-5.5.28-win32>start telnet 10.159.156.50 3308

D:\mysql-5.5.28-win32>bin\mysql -uhct -P3308 -h10.159.156.50 -ptest
ERROR 1129 (HY000): Host 'TFARMER-MYSQL.wh.oracle.com' is blocked 
because of many connection errors; unblock with 'mysqladmin flush-hosts'

 

3. All bets are off if you use –skip-name-resolve

Because this is all managed in the host cache, if you turn off reverse DNS lookups using –skip-name-resolve – and many people will to avoid potential DNS overhead in creation of new connections – max_connect_errors has zero effect.

4.  Localhost and IP loopbacks are excluded

For the same reason as #3, you’ll never see host blocked errors when connecting to localhost or via IP loopback interface.  These don’t go through the DNS reverse lookup and thus the host cache, and are therefore not tracked at all.  Whether that’s good (nobody can lock up local access) or not, I’ll let you decide.

5. The host cache is a fixed size

Marc Alff pointed out to me that the fixed size of the host cache – along with the LRU purge algorithm used – makes it quite possible that blocked hosts can fall out of the cache and cease to be blocked.  That has pretty obvious implications for how it can be bypassed by any third party needing to do so.

 Conclusion

If you are looking for a mechanism to limit exposure to brute-force attempts to access MySQL, max_connect_errors won’t help you.  If you’re worried about a SYN flood attack, max_connect_errors might help you in very specific situations.  PERFORMANCE_SCHEMA improvements in MySQL 5.6 expose meaningful information about potential brute-force attacks, but again – only in situations where the host cache is involved.  Beyond that, the contents of MySQL Enterprise Audit log or general query log can be mined to identify such attacks.  I filed several feature requests to give even more visibility through PERFORMANCE_SCHEMA and to provide a mechanism to restrict access from hosts based on number of failed authorization attempts.