CVE-2017-3304 in MySQL Cluster
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Cluster component of Oracle MySQL (subcomponent: Cluster: DD). Supported versions that are affected are 7.2.27 and earlier, 7.3.16 and earlier, 7.4.14 and earlier and 7.5.5 and earlier. Easily "exploitable" vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise MySQL Cluster. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of MySQL Cluster accessible data and unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of MySQL Cluster. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 5.4 (Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/20/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3304 resides within the MySQL Cluster component of Oracle MySQL, specifically within the Cluster: DD subcomponent. This flaw represents a significant security concern affecting multiple version branches including 7.2.27 and earlier, 7.3.16 and earlier, 7.4.14 and earlier, and 7.5.5 and earlier. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with minimal privileges and network access can successfully leverage this weakness, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where network exposure is common. The CVSS 3.0 score of 5.4 reflects a medium severity level with specific impacts to integrity and availability, demonstrating that while the vulnerability may not provide full system compromise, it can still cause substantial damage through data manipulation and partial service disruption.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authorization controls within the MySQL Cluster's data dictionary management system. Attackers with low privileges can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to modify database content through update, insert, or delete operations on certain cluster-accessible data. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data corruption as it also enables partial denial of service conditions that can disrupt cluster operations and affect availability of critical database services. This dual impact on both data integrity and system availability creates a particularly concerning threat vector for organizations relying on MySQL Cluster for mission-critical applications. The vulnerability's exploitability requires only network access via multiple protocols, indicating that it can be leveraged from various network entry points without requiring physical access or elevated privileges.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-3304 extends beyond immediate data compromise to affect overall system reliability and business continuity. Organizations utilizing affected MySQL Cluster versions face potential data integrity violations where unauthorized modifications could go undetected, leading to corrupted database states and potential data loss. The partial denial of service component creates additional operational challenges as cluster performance may degrade or become partially unavailable, affecting application availability and user experience. This vulnerability particularly affects database environments where multiple applications depend on cluster availability and data consistency, making it a critical concern for financial services, e-commerce platforms, and other mission-critical systems. The low privilege requirement means that even users with minimal database permissions can potentially exploit this vulnerability, expanding the attack surface and making it more difficult to control access.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Oracle to address this vulnerability, as well as implementing network segmentation to limit access to MySQL Cluster services. Access controls should be reviewed and strengthened to ensure that only authorized users have appropriate privileges, with particular attention to reducing unnecessary network access to cluster components. Monitoring and logging should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts or data modification activities that could indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1499 (Endpoint Denial of Service) in threat modeling frameworks. Regular vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar authorization flaws in database systems, and security teams should maintain awareness of Oracle's security bulletins to ensure timely patch deployment across all affected systems.