CVE-2019-2914 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL (component: Server: Security: Encryption). Supported versions that are affected are 5.7.27 and prior and 8.0.17 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 • 01/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2914 represents a critical availability risk within Oracle MySQL Server implementations, specifically targeting the Server: Security: Encryption component. This flaw affects MySQL versions 5.7.27 and earlier, as well as 8.0.17 and prior releases, making it a widespread concern across multiple MySQL server versions. The vulnerability operates through a sophisticated mechanism that leverages network-based attack vectors, allowing adversaries with minimal privileges to exploit the system through various protocols. The security implications extend beyond simple access control, as the flaw specifically targets the encryption subsystem where authentication and authorization processes occur, creating a fundamental weakness in the server's security architecture.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of encryption-related operations within the MySQL server core, where insufficient validation and error handling creates opportunities for malicious input to trigger system instability. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specific network requests that manipulate the encryption processes, leading to unpredictable behavior in the server's memory management and resource allocation. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that the attack surface is accessible through standard network protocols and requires minimal specialized knowledge or tools to execute successfully. This characteristic makes the flaw particularly dangerous in environments where MySQL servers are exposed to untrusted networks or where network-level access controls are insufficient.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-2914 manifests as a complete denial of service condition that can either cause the MySQL server to hang indefinitely or trigger repeated crashes that effectively render the database service unavailable. This disruption affects database availability and can have cascading effects throughout applications that depend on MySQL connectivity, potentially causing widespread system failures in enterprise environments. The CVSS 3.0 score of 6.5 reflects the significant availability impact, with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H indicating that network-based attacks with low access complexity and limited privileges can achieve high availability impact. The vulnerability's potential to cause frequent crashes aligns with common attack patterns documented in the ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation and denial of service categories, specifically targeting the persistence and availability aspects of database systems.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest Oracle security patches and updates to affected MySQL versions, as well as implementing network-level restrictions to limit access to MySQL server ports from trusted sources only. The vulnerability's presence in both MySQL 5.7 and 8.0 release lines necessitates comprehensive patch management across all affected systems, with particular attention to the encryption-related configurations and access controls. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for unusual network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while establishing robust backup and recovery procedures to minimize the impact of potential service disruptions. The flaw's alignment with CWE-248 (Uncaught Exception) and its exploitation patterns correspond to ATT&CK techniques related to service stoppage and system resource exhaustion, emphasizing the need for comprehensive monitoring and response capabilities to address this availability-focused vulnerability effectively.