CVE-2020-14643 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL (component: Server: Security: Roles). Supported versions that are affected are 8.0.20 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 3.1 Base Score 5.5 (Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/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 • 11/01/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-14643 resides within Oracle MySQL Server's implementation of role-based security mechanisms, specifically affecting versions 8.0.20 and earlier. This flaw represents a significant security weakness in the database management system's access control infrastructure, where an attacker with high privileges and network connectivity can exploit this vulnerability to compromise the MySQL server's integrity and availability. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers do not require specialized tools or extensive technical expertise to leverage this weakness effectively.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of role-based access controls within the MySQL Server component, particularly in how the system processes security role assignments and permissions. This flaw allows an authenticated attacker with elevated privileges to manipulate the server's security mechanisms in ways that can lead to complete denial of service conditions. The vulnerability specifically impacts the server's ability to maintain consistent operation, potentially causing frequent crashes or hangs that render the database service unavailable to legitimate users. Additionally, the flaw enables unauthorized modification of data through update, insert, or delete operations on portions of the database that should normally be protected from such access.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk to database environments relying on MySQL Server, particularly in enterprise settings where role-based access controls are fundamental to maintaining data security. The CVSS score of 5.5 indicates a moderate to high severity impact, with specific concerns regarding integrity and availability. The attack vector requires network access and assumes the attacker already possesses high privileges, suggesting this vulnerability may be exploited by insider threats or compromised accounts with elevated access rights. The complete denial of service potential means that legitimate users could experience extended periods of database unavailability, while the unauthorized data modification capabilities could result in data corruption or unauthorized information disclosure.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected MySQL Server installations to address this vulnerability, as the combination of availability impact and data integrity concerns creates significant operational risk. The remediation strategy should include comprehensive testing of patches in development environments before deployment to production systems. Security teams should also implement enhanced monitoring for unusual access patterns and privilege escalation attempts that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and may be mapped to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and denial of service operations. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their MySQL implementations to identify any additional weaknesses in their database access control mechanisms and ensure proper segregation of duties across different user roles and permissions.