CVE-2017-3463 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-2017-3463 resides within Oracle MySQL Server's privilege management subsystem, specifically affecting versions 5.5.54 and earlier, 5.6.35 and earlier, and 5.7.17 and earlier. This security flaw represents a critical availability risk that can be exploited by attackers with high privileges and network access through multiple protocols. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with minimal technical expertise can leverage this weakness to compromise MySQL server operations, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where database availability is paramount for business operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper privilege handling within the MySQL server's security architecture, specifically within the Server: Security: Privileges subcomponent. When exploited, this flaw enables authenticated attackers with elevated privileges to manipulate the server's operational state in a manner that causes repeated crashes or system hangs, effectively creating a denial of service condition. The vulnerability's impact is measured through CVSS version 3.0 scoring system with a base score of 4.9, indicating a moderate to high severity threat that primarily affects system availability. The CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H) reveals that the attack requires network access with high privileges, no user interaction, and results in complete availability impact while maintaining no confidentiality or integrity compromise.
From an operational perspective, successful exploitation of CVE-2017-3463 can lead to complete system downtime for MySQL servers, potentially affecting numerous applications and services that depend on database connectivity. This vulnerability particularly impacts enterprise environments where MySQL serves as a critical backend component for web applications, transaction processing systems, and data storage solutions. The ability to cause frequent crashes or hangs means that organizations may experience extended periods of service disruption, potentially resulting in significant financial losses and reputational damage. The vulnerability's presence in multiple version streams (5.5, 5.6, and 5.7) indicates a widespread issue that affects a substantial portion of MySQL deployments across various organizational infrastructures.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected MySQL installations to remediate this vulnerability, as the CVSS scoring indicates a significant availability risk that can be exploited with relatively low complexity. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 (Endpoint Denial of Service) within the adversary behavior framework. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit privileged network access can provide additional defense-in-depth measures while patches are deployed. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of server crashes or connection terminations that might indicate exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability's impact is directly tied to the server's ability to maintain stable operation under legitimate load conditions.