CVE-2019-2960 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL (component: Server: Replication). Supported versions that are affected are 5.7.27 and prior and 8.0.17 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).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2960 resides within the MySQL Server replication component, specifically affecting Oracle MySQL versions 5.7.27 and earlier, as well as 8.0.17 and prior. This flaw represents a significant security concern as it enables a high-privileged attacker with network access to compromise the MySQL server through multiple protocols. The vulnerability operates at the server level within the replication functionality, which is critical for database synchronization and failover operations in enterprise environments. The attack vector requires network access and leverages elevated privileges, suggesting that the threat actor already possesses legitimate administrative access to the system or has obtained credentials through other means.
The technical nature of this vulnerability manifests as a flaw in the replication mechanism that can be exploited to cause a denial of service condition. When successfully exploited, the vulnerability allows an attacker to induce a hang or create a frequently repeatable crash scenario that results in a complete denial of service for the MySQL server. This specific weakness falls under the category of availability impact, as defined by the CVSS scoring system, where the attacker can render the service completely inaccessible to legitimate users. The CVSS 3.0 base score of 4.9 reflects a moderate severity level, with the availability impact rated at high, indicating that the consequences of exploitation can severely disrupt database operations and business continuity.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses substantial risk to database environments that rely on MySQL replication for high availability and disaster recovery. The ability to cause repeated crashes or hangs can lead to extended downtime, data inconsistency issues, and potential loss of service for applications that depend on the database. Organizations running affected MySQL versions may experience service disruption, particularly in mission-critical systems where database availability is paramount. The vulnerability's exploitation capability is considered easily achievable, meaning that skilled attackers with appropriate privileges can readily implement the attack without requiring specialized tools or extensive technical knowledge.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK framework techniques related to service stoppage and availability denial, specifically targeting the availability aspect of the CIA triad. From a CWE perspective, this vulnerability likely maps to CWE-119, which addresses improper access to memory, or CWE-476, which relates to null pointer dereference, both of which are common in replication and synchronization mechanisms. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching to the latest MySQL versions, network segmentation to limit access to database servers, and monitoring for unusual replication behavior or service disruptions. Additionally, access controls should be strictly enforced, and privileged accounts should be protected through multi-factor authentication and least privilege principles to reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date database software and implementing comprehensive security monitoring to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts.