CVE-2018-3247 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server component of Oracle MySQL (subcomponent: Server: Merge). Supported versions that are affected are 5.6.41 and prior, 5.7.23 and prior and 8.0.12 and prior. 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 as well as unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of MySQL Server accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 5.5 (Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3247 resides within the MySQL Server component, specifically within the Server: Merge subcomponent, representing a critical security flaw that affects multiple versions of Oracle MySQL. This vulnerability demonstrates the inherent risks associated with database management systems where merge operations can be exploited to compromise system integrity and availability. The affected versions include MySQL 5.6.41 and earlier, 5.7.23 and earlier, and 8.0.12 and earlier, indicating a widespread impact across major MySQL release lines. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable underscores the significant risk it poses to database environments where proper access controls may not be adequately enforced.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and improper handling of merge operations within the MySQL server architecture. Attackers with high privileged access and network connectivity can leverage this flaw to execute malicious operations against the database server. The vulnerability operates through multiple network protocols, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited across various communication channels. The flaw allows attackers to cause complete denial of service conditions by inducing hangs or frequent crashes in the MySQL server process, effectively rendering database services unavailable to legitimate users. Additionally, the vulnerability enables unauthorized modification of database content through update, insert, and delete operations on specific portions of the server's accessible data.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a dual threat to database security and availability. The potential for complete denial of service represents a severe operational disruption that can affect business continuity and data accessibility. Organizations relying on MySQL databases for critical applications face significant risk of service interruptions that can cascade into broader business impacts. The unauthorized update, insert, or delete capabilities further compound the threat by allowing attackers to corrupt or manipulate database content, potentially leading to data integrity issues that may require extensive recovery efforts. The CVSS 3.0 base score of 5.5 reflects the balanced risk profile between integrity and availability impacts, with the high privilege requirement (PR:H) indicating that the vulnerability requires elevated access but not necessarily administrative privileges.
The vulnerability's exploitability characteristics align with ATT&CK framework concepts related to privilege escalation and denial of service attacks, specifically mapping to techniques involving service stoppage and data manipulation. From a CWE perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-125, which relates to out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-20, which covers input validation issues. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the relevant Oracle security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to MySQL services, and establishing robust monitoring for unusual database activity patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and conducting regular vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar issues in database environments.
Security teams should prioritize patch management for this vulnerability and consider implementing additional protective measures such as network access controls, database activity monitoring, and regular security audits. The widespread nature of affected versions suggests that organizations across various industries may be impacted, particularly those with legacy MySQL installations that have not been properly maintained. Proper access control implementation and least privilege principles should be enforced to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures specifically designed to address database compromise scenarios, ensuring rapid detection and remediation of similar threats in their environments.