CVE-2017-3461 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server component of Oracle MySQL (subcomponent: Server: Security: Privileges). Supported versions that are affected are 5.5.54 and earlier, 5.6.35 and earlier and 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-2017-3461 resides within Oracle MySQL Server's security privilege subsystem, specifically affecting multiple version branches including 5.5.54 and earlier, 5.6.35 and earlier, and 5.7.17 and earlier releases. This represents a critical availability-focused weakness that demonstrates how flawed privilege handling can compromise database server stability. The vulnerability operates through the Server: Security: Privileges subcomponent, indicating that the flaw lies in how MySQL processes and validates user privileges, particularly when dealing with elevated access rights. The affected versions span across several major MySQL release lines, suggesting this issue has persisted across multiple generations of the database software and likely represents a fundamental design or implementation flaw in the privilege validation mechanism.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows a high-privileged attacker who can establish network connections to the MySQL server to execute malicious code that results in complete denial of service conditions. The exploitability rating of "easily exploitable" indicates that the attack vector requires minimal technical sophistication and can be executed through multiple network protocols, making it particularly dangerous in production environments. The vulnerability specifically targets the server's ability to maintain stable operation under legitimate load conditions, enabling attackers to force the MySQL server into a state where it either hangs indefinitely or crashes repeatedly. This behavior manifests as a complete denial of service condition that can severely impact database availability and business continuity for organizations relying on MySQL infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential business interruption and data accessibility issues. When attackers successfully exploit this flaw, they can cause the MySQL server to become unresponsive or crash repeatedly, effectively rendering the database service unavailable to legitimate users and applications. The CVSS 3.0 base score of 4.9 reflects the availability impact severity, which is particularly concerning because database servers are fundamental infrastructure components for most enterprise applications. Organizations using affected MySQL versions face significant risk of operational downtime, potential data loss scenarios, and increased incident response costs when this vulnerability is exploited. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK framework would likely map to privilege escalation and denial of service techniques, as it allows attackers to leverage existing high privileges to cause system instability and complete service unavailability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-3461 focus primarily on immediate version upgrades to patched MySQL releases that address the privilege handling flaw. Organizations should prioritize updating to MySQL versions that contain the security patches released by Oracle, specifically targeting the versions that remediate this particular vulnerability in the Server: Security: Privileges subsystem. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of MySQL servers to untrusted networks, reducing the attack surface available to potential exploiters. Regular monitoring of MySQL server behavior for unusual patterns or performance degradation can help detect exploitation attempts before they cause complete service outages. Additionally, implementing comprehensive backup and disaster recovery procedures ensures that organizations can quickly restore database services if exploitation occurs, while maintaining audit trails and logging capabilities provides essential forensic data for incident response activities. The vulnerability's mapping to CWE 119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer) and CWE 264 (Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls) demonstrates how memory safety issues in privilege management can lead to availability compromise through improper access control enforcement.