Risky MySQL User Accounts and Excess Privileges

Finds accounts with no password, open host access, or dangerous privileges like SUPER and FILE. A baseline check for security audits.

#users#privileges#hardening

mysql · sql

SELECT user, host, plugin,
       (authentication_string = '') AS no_password,
       account_locked, password_expired
FROM mysql.user
WHERE authentication_string = '' OR host = '%'
ORDER BY user;

SELECT grantee, privilege_type, is_grantable
FROM information_schema.user_privileges
WHERE privilege_type IN ('SUPER','FILE','SHUTDOWN','PROCESS')
ORDER BY grantee;

Operational Notes & Remediation Guidance

Eliminate wildcard host accounts (`%`) for administrative users and revoke unnecessary global privileges.

Production Safety & Execution Standards

This script is designed for read-only diagnostics; it does not alter schema or modify data directly.
Prior to executing on production systems under high load, verify the target database version (Min. Version: 5.7).
Exercise caution with mutating actions (e.g., terminating sessions or dropping indexes) referenced in the notes section.

Other MYSQL Diagnostic Scripts

View All (100)

#21Performance

Find Long-Running Queries in MySQL

Lists active queries running longer than 60 seconds from the processlist. Fast diagnosis for slowdowns and lock pile-ups.

View Script

#22Locking

Find MySQL InnoDB Lock Waits and the Blocking Query

Uses the sys schema to show waiting and blocking sessions with lock modes. Resolves who is holding up whom in a single query.

View Script

#23Storage

List the Largest Tables and Disk Usage in MySQL

Ranks tables by data, index and free space size. Core input for capacity planning and archiving decisions.

View Script

#24Performance

Detect Unused Indexes in MySQL

Uses sys.schema_unused_indexes to list indexes that were never used. Helps safely drop indexes that slow down writes.

View Script