MySQL Bugs: #22311: Emergency Override Swith Required

Bug #22311	Emergency Override Swith Required
Submitted:	13 Sep 2006 13:33	Modified:	13 Sep 2006 19:48
Reporter:	Terry James	Email Updates:
Status:	Not a Bug	Impact on me:	None
Category:	MySQL Server	Severity:	S1 (Critical)
Version:	14.12	OS:	Windows (Windows Server 2003 (R2) 64-Bit)
Assigned to:		CPU Architecture:	Any

Description:
Supposedly, the reload privilege is deprecated in Version 14.12 Distribution 5.0.21 for Win32 (ia32).

Aside from the fact that this machine happens to be x86 AMD, any and all attempts to change the grant privileges, no mater whether commandline, phpMyAdmin, or MySQLAdministrator, fails with "you don't have RELOAD privileges."

Why is it always the same with MySQL? Why does every version and every instance eventually fail with Access Denied and the only solution is to lose all of your data and reinstall everything?

This is still pretty bad programming; it reminds me of IBM circa 1970 running batch and failing at every turn until someone pulls the security card.

3 privilege keys will eventually lock up and thus multiple keys are designated Overkill if there is no Emergency Override Switch. Once locked with a bad key, such systems cannot be unlocked.

ODBC is neither a real user nor a valid user and should be dismissed entirely. The real root user is root. And root run from the local console should always have an Emergency Override Switch, that is, an executeable commandline that overrides all security and allows root in to fix any and all problems in an emergency.

For as long as MySQL has existed, this lockup bug has existed. It's really time for someone to address it and fix it.

How to repeat:
Does it all the time once RELOAD privilege is denied by some installation or program.

Suggested fix:
Emergency Override by root at the local console only. That is, a nice little string of commandline code that overrides RELOAD, even if it says it's deprecated [which I assure you it is not, not while it's failing with the report that everyone needs RELOAD privilege].

Thank you for taking the time to write to us, but this is not a bug. Please double-check the documentation available at http://dev.mysql.com/doc/ and the instructions on
how to report a bug at http://bugs.mysql.com/how-to-report.php

RELOAD privilege is not deprecated. It looks like you did not study MySQL Access Privilege System. You can find information about it here: http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/privilege-system.html See also http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/resetting-permissions.html