EDIT: HN formatting isn't letting me write "asterix dot asterix", it shows up as "." :( My reading of this is that it requires either mysql root or `GRANT FILE

EDIT: HN formatting isn't letting me write "asterix dot asterix", it shows up as "." :( My reading of this is that it requires either mysql root or `GRANT FILE ON . TO ...` privileges? AFAICT this requires an explicit `GRANT FILE ON . TO ...`; just plain `GRANT ALL ON db.* TO ...` does NOT grant any FILE privileges. I assume an install that doesn't give any users FILE privileges is safe? mysql> SELECT host, user, File_priv FROM mysql.user WHERE File_priv='Y'; AFAICT exploit chain: * `GRANT FILE ON . TO ...` * `SELECT unhex("%s") INTO DUMPFILE '%s'` * ... clever tricks ... * mysql root * ... clever tricks ... * service mysql restart * system root The mysql security model for FILE privileges described here seems ridiculous. Your security model relies on creating dumpfiles with `chmod 666` permissions, and rejecting config files that are world-writeable? "I fixed the security issue with world-writable dump files" "You just broken our security model!" Never grant FILE privileges on a production mysql server?