CVE-2018-2598 in MySQL Workbench
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Workbench component of Oracle MySQL (subcomponent: Workbench: Security: Encryption). Supported versions that are affected are 6.3.10 and earlier. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise MySQL Workbench. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of MySQL Workbench accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 3.7 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2598 resides within Oracle MySQL Workbench's encryption security subsystem, specifically affecting versions 6.3.10 and earlier. This flaw represents a significant security weakness in the database administration tool that is widely used by database administrators and developers for database design, modeling, and management tasks. The vulnerability impacts the workbench's ability to properly secure sensitive data during transmission and storage, creating potential exposure points for unauthorized access to database configurations and related information.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient encryption implementation within the MySQL Workbench security framework, allowing attackers to exploit network-based access points without requiring authentication credentials. The CVSS score of 3.7 indicates a low to medium severity issue, though the attack vector requires network access and presents high complexity for exploitation. This classification aligns with CWE-310, which covers cryptographic weaknesses in security implementations. The vulnerability's impact is specifically focused on confidentiality, as attackers can potentially access a subset of data within the workbench environment, though no integrity or availability impacts are reported.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates risks for organizations that rely on MySQL Workbench for database administration tasks, particularly in environments where network exposure is present. Attackers could potentially intercept and read sensitive database connection information, schema definitions, or other configuration data that might be stored or transmitted through the workbench interface. The fact that this affects unauthenticated attackers underscores the severity of the exposure, as no credentials or privileged access are required to exploit the weakness. This vulnerability particularly impacts organizations following the principle of least privilege, as it could enable lateral movement or information gathering attacks against database infrastructure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to MySQL Workbench versions beyond 6.3.10 to address the encryption implementation flaw. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit exposure of the workbench to untrusted networks. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) suggests that attackers might leverage DNS-based protocols to exploit this weakness, making network monitoring and protocol analysis critical for detection. Regular security assessments of database administration tools and implementation of comprehensive network security controls are recommended to prevent exploitation of similar cryptographic vulnerabilities. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network intrusion detection systems that can identify anomalous traffic patterns associated with exploitation attempts against database management interfaces.