CVE-2017-3458 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server component of Oracle MySQL (subcomponent: Server: DML). Supported versions that are affected are 5.7.17 and earlier. Easily "exploitable" vulnerability allows high privileged attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise MySQL Server. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of MySQL Server. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 4.9 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/20/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3458 resides within the MySQL Server component, specifically within the Server: DML subcomponent, affecting MySQL versions 5.7.17 and earlier. This represents a significant security weakness that demonstrates the critical importance of database server hardening and access control measures. The vulnerability operates at a fundamental level within MySQL's data manipulation language processing capabilities, where the flaw manifests during query execution and can be exploited by adversaries with elevated privileges. The affected version range indicates this was a persistent issue that required immediate attention from database administrators and security teams across enterprise environments relying on MySQL database infrastructure.
This vulnerability is classified as easily exploitable, meaning that skilled attackers with high privileged access and network connectivity can leverage it effectively against target systems. The attack vector involves network-based exploitation through multiple protocols, which significantly expands the potential attack surface for this vulnerability. The CVSS 3.0 scoring system assigns it a base score of 4.9, reflecting a moderate severity level that emphasizes the availability impact rather than confidentiality or integrity breaches. The vector notation AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H indicates that the attack requires network access with high privileges, low complexity, and results in high availability impact without requiring user interaction. This scoring reflects the vulnerability's potential to cause complete denial of service conditions that can severely impact business operations and database availability.
The operational impact of successfully exploiting CVE-2017-3458 is particularly concerning as it can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash of the MySQL Server, leading to complete denial of service conditions. This type of vulnerability directly violates the availability principles of the CIA triad and can cause significant business disruption when database services become inaccessible. Organizations relying on MySQL for critical applications may experience extended downtime, data access interruptions, and potential revenue loss during exploitation periods. The vulnerability's impact on server stability means that even a single successful exploitation attempt can render the database service completely non-functional until manual intervention or system restart occurs.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and reflects patterns commonly found in database server implementations where malformed input or specific query structures can trigger memory corruption. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the T1499.004 technique related to network denial of service, and potentially to T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the relevant Oracle security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to database servers, and establishing monitoring protocols to detect unusual patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, privilege management should be strictly enforced to limit network access to database servers and ensure that only authorized personnel have the necessary elevated privileges required to access database systems.
The broader implications of this vulnerability extend beyond immediate exploitation scenarios to highlight the importance of continuous security monitoring and patch management processes. Database administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their MySQL installations and implement defense-in-depth strategies that include network access controls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security audits. The vulnerability serves as a reminder that even well-established database platforms require ongoing security attention and that organizations must maintain proactive security postures to protect against both known and emerging threats in their database environments.