Brute forcing MySQL passwords

There are several methods to obtain valid MySQL usernames. For example, web servers sometimes return database connection errors that reveal the MySQL username used by the web application. Penetration testers could use this information to perform brute force password auditing attacks and obtain access to sensitive information.

This recipe describes how to launch dictionary attacks against MySQL servers with Nmap.

How to do it...

To perform brute force password auditing against MySQL servers, use the following command:

$ nmap -p3306 --script mysql-brute <target>

If valid credentials are found, they will be included in the mysql-brute output section:

   3306/tcp open  mysql 
   | mysql-brute:   
   |   root:<empty> => Valid credentials 
   |_  test:test => Valid credentials 

How it works...

The mysql-brute script was written by Patrik Karlsson, and it is helpful when auditing MySQL servers for weak passwords. It performs dictionary attacks to find valid...