MySQL shows two connections. One does not require a password and is the same database I created with MySQL Workbench

Question

MySQL shows two connections. One does not require a password and is the same database I created with MySQL Workbench.

I have two database connections. One is the database that came with the MySQL installation. The other I created and I have added a few tables to it.

I have not touched the the database that came with the MySQL installation, yet it is updating with the same information as the second database. They seem to be the same as I update information on the latter, however the SSL ciphers are different. SSL is not used for the initial database, and TLS_AES_128 is used on the new database.

They are both password protected with the same password due to confusion when installing, and I have saved the password to the keychain.

Do I need both? Will this cause an issue down the line?

At the cmd prompt mysql> status is how I figured out the SSL ciphers were different, and I initially thought I was connecting to the wrong database. I then compared to MySQL Workbench and noticed the differences. I was expecting an issue down the line.

Answer 1

You have two MySQL connections: one created automatically during MySQL installation and another that you manually created via MySQL Workbench. Despite having different SSL settings, the fact that updates in one connection reflect in the other indicates that both connections are pointing to the same MySQL database instance. The connection created via MySQL Workbench might be configured to use SSL/TLS, so you see TLS_AES_128 for this connection vs. SSL not used for the other database's connection.

It's generally advisable to use SSL/TLS for all connections to ensure data integrity and security, especially if the database is accessed over a network. If both connections point to the same database and you inadvertently connect using the less secure connection, it could expose your data to risks if SSL isn't enforced, so if the database that was created automatically during MySQL installation doesn't use SSL and you don't need it, you should consider removing it.