CVE-2018-3064 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server component of Oracle MySQL (subcomponent: InnoDB). Supported versions that are affected are 5.6.40 and prior, 5.7.22 and prior and 8.0.11 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 as well as unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of MySQL Server accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 7.1 (Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3064 resides within the InnoDB storage engine of Oracle MySQL servers, representing a critical security flaw that affects multiple version branches including 5.6.40 and earlier, 5.7.22 and earlier, and 8.0.11 and earlier. This vulnerability operates at the database engine level where InnoDB manages transactional data storage, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by attackers with minimal privileges who gain network access through various protocols. The flaw manifests as a condition where an attacker can manipulate the database engine in ways that lead to system instability and data integrity compromise, with the potential for complete denial of service through repeated crashes or hangs that can render the database server non-operational for legitimate users.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of certain database operations within the InnoDB storage engine that can be triggered through network-based attacks. The flaw allows attackers with low privilege levels to execute malicious operations that cause the MySQL server to either hang indefinitely or crash repeatedly, creating a persistent denial of service condition. Additionally, the vulnerability enables unauthorized modification of database contents through insert, update, and delete operations on specific data sets that the attacker has access to, while maintaining the ability to cause complete system crashes. This dual impact on availability and integrity makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in production environments where database reliability and data consistency are paramount.
From an operational standpoint, the implications of CVE-2018-3064 are severe as it can be exploited by attackers with minimal privileges, making it accessible to a broad range of threat actors who may not require high-level administrative access to cause significant damage. The vulnerability's network accessibility means that attackers can potentially exploit it from remote locations without requiring physical access to the database server. The CVSS 3.0 score of 7.1 reflects the substantial risk, with a base score of 7.1 indicating high severity across both integrity and availability impacts. The attack vector requiring only network access with low privilege levels and no user interaction makes this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations running affected MySQL versions, as it can be exploited as part of automated attack campaigns or by opportunistic threat actors.
Organizations should immediately prioritize patching their MySQL installations to address this vulnerability, as the affected versions are no longer supported with current security updates. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of patched versions in development environments before deployment to production systems to ensure compatibility with existing applications. Security teams should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of database servers to untrusted networks, while also monitoring for suspicious database activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should review their database access controls and privilege management to minimize the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability can be leveraged by attackers with minimal privileges to cause both service disruption and data modification. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses improper access to memory locations, and represents a significant concern under ATT&CK technique T1499 for network denial of service attacks, where adversaries seek to make systems unavailable to legitimate users through various methods including software exploitation.