CVE-2019-2826 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server component of Oracle MySQL (subcomponent: Server: Security: Roles). Supported versions that are affected are 8.0.16 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. 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).
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2826 resides within Oracle MySQL Server's implementation of security roles functionality, specifically affecting versions 8.0.16 and earlier. This represents a critical availability-focused weakness that demonstrates how administrative privileges can be leveraged to disrupt core database operations. The vulnerability operates through the server's security role management subsystem, where improper validation mechanisms allow malicious actors with elevated privileges to exploit specific code paths that lead to system instability.
This flaw manifests as a denial of service condition that can be triggered through network-based attacks, requiring only high-privileged access and multiple protocol support. The technical implementation appears to involve inadequate input validation or state management within the role assignment and authentication processes. Attackers with sufficient privileges can craft specific requests that cause the MySQL server daemon to enter an unrecoverable state, resulting in complete service disruption. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that the attack vector requires minimal complexity to achieve successful compromise, making it particularly dangerous in production environments.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service interruption, as it can cause complete system crashes that require manual intervention and server restarts. This type of vulnerability directly violates the availability principles of the CIA triad and can severely impact business continuity for organizations relying on MySQL database services. The CVSS score of 4.9 reflects the moderate severity of the availability impact, though the potential for repeated disruption makes it significantly more concerning than typical availability issues. Organizations with mission-critical database operations face substantial risk from this vulnerability, as it can be used to systematically disable database services.
Security professionals should note this vulnerability's alignment with CWE-20, which addresses "Improper Input Validation," and its relationship to ATT&CK technique T1499.1, which covers "Endpoint Denial of Service." The attack surface expands when considering that this vulnerability affects the server's role management system, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or disrupt multiple database users simultaneously. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected MySQL versions, implementation of network segmentation to limit access to database servers, and monitoring for unusual connection patterns or authentication attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing additional access controls and privilege management policies to reduce the attack surface available to potential adversaries.