CVE-2017-3643 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server component of Oracle MySQL (subcomponent: Server: DML). Supported versions that are affected are 5.7.18 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 • 01/04/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3643 resides within Oracle MySQL Server's DML (Data Manipulation Language) subsystem, specifically affecting versions 5.7.18 and earlier. This represents a significant security weakness that demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date database software in enterprise environments. The vulnerability operates at the core level of database operations, where data manipulation commands are processed, making it particularly dangerous for systems that rely heavily on database integrity and availability.
The technical flaw manifests as a condition where a high-privileged attacker with network access can exploit multiple protocols to compromise the MySQL Server instance. This vulnerability is classified as easily exploitable, indicating that the attack vector requires minimal technical sophistication or resources to execute successfully. The underlying mechanism appears to involve improper handling of certain DML operations that can trigger memory corruption or resource exhaustion conditions within the server process, leading to system instability.
From an operational perspective, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data compromise to include complete denial of service conditions. Successful exploitation results in the ability to cause either a hang or frequently repeatable crashes that can completely bring down the MySQL Server instance. This availability impact represents a severe threat to database-dependent applications and services, potentially affecting business continuity and data access for organizations relying on MySQL infrastructure. The CVSS 3.0 score of 4.9 reflects the balance between the attack complexity and the potential damage, with the high availability impact rating indicating the severity of service disruption.
The vulnerability's classification under CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) would likely fall within categories related to resource management or memory handling flaws, specifically those that could lead to denial of service conditions. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques involving privilege escalation and service disruption, where adversaries leverage elevated privileges to compromise system availability. The network accessibility aspect of the vulnerability means that attackers do not require physical access or local system compromise to exploit this weakness, making it particularly concerning for networked database environments.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant Oracle security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to MySQL services, and establishing monitoring systems to detect potential exploitation attempts. The high privilege requirement suggests that internal threat modeling should focus on identifying and limiting access to database administrative accounts, while network-level controls can help reduce the attack surface for protocol-based exploitation attempts. Regular vulnerability assessments and security audits should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in database configurations and ensure comprehensive protection against similar threats in the broader attack landscape.