CVE-2018-2805 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server component of Oracle MySQL (subcomponent: GIS Extension). Supported versions that are affected are 5.6.39 and prior. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low 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 6.5 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2805 resides within the MySQL Server component, specifically within the GIS Extension subcomponent that handles geographic information system functionality. This flaw affects MySQL versions 5.6.39 and earlier, representing a significant security concern for database environments that utilize spatial data processing capabilities. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with minimal privileges and network access can potentially compromise the affected systems, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where database availability is critical for business operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of certain geographic data inputs within the GIS extension module of MySQL Server. When processing specific spatial data structures or queries involving geographic information, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize input parameters, leading to potential memory corruption or resource exhaustion conditions. This flaw manifests as a complete denial of service condition where the MySQL Server process becomes unresponsive or crashes repeatedly, effectively rendering the database service unavailable to legitimate users and applications. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it can be triggered through multiple network protocols, increasing the attack surface and making it more difficult to defend against.
From an operational perspective, the consequences of successful exploitation can be devastating for organizations relying on MySQL databases with GIS capabilities. The availability impact score of 6.5 on the CVSS 3.0 scale indicates a high severity threat that can cause complete system downtime, potentially resulting in significant business disruption, data unavailability, and financial losses. The vulnerability's low privilege requirement means that even users with minimal database access rights can potentially trigger the denial of service condition, making it particularly concerning for environments where access controls may not be strictly enforced. Network-based attacks can be executed from remote locations, eliminating the need for physical access to the database server infrastructure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses buffer overflow conditions in memory management, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with memory corruption flaws that can lead to system instability and denial of service scenarios. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1499.004 for network denial of service and T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage, as attackers can leverage multiple network protocols to exploit the weakness. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected MySQL versions, implement network segmentation to limit access to database servers, and establish monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, database administrators should consider implementing connection throttling and resource limiting measures to reduce the impact of potential denial of service attacks while awaiting official patches from Oracle.