CVE-2020-2875 in MySQL Connectors
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Connectors product of Oracle MySQL (component: Connector/J). Supported versions that are affected are 8.0.14 and prior and 5.1.48 and prior. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via multiple protocols to compromise MySQL Connectors. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in MySQL Connectors, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of MySQL Connectors accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of MySQL Connectors accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 4.7 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-2875 resides within Oracle MySQL Connectors, specifically the Connector/J component that facilitates Java applications to connect to MySQL database systems. This flaw affects critical versions including 8.0.14 and earlier releases, as well as 5.1.48 and prior iterations, representing a substantial portion of the MySQL connector ecosystem. The vulnerability's classification as difficult to exploit indicates that while it requires specific conditions for successful exploitation, the potential impact remains significant enough to warrant immediate attention from security professionals and system administrators.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authentication mechanisms within the MySQL Connectors implementation, allowing unauthenticated attackers to gain network-level access through multiple protocols. The CVSS 3.0 scoring system rates this vulnerability with a base score of 4.7, indicating a medium severity threat that specifically impacts both confidentiality and integrity aspects of the affected systems. The attack vector AV:N suggests network-based exploitation is possible, while AC:H indicates high attack complexity, meaning the exploit requires significant technical expertise or specific conditions. The PR:N classification shows that no prior privileges are required for the attack, and UI:R indicates that human interaction from an unwitting user is necessary for successful exploitation, which typically involves social engineering or targeted user engagement.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond the immediate MySQL Connectors component, potentially affecting additional products within the broader MySQL ecosystem. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can achieve unauthorized modification capabilities including update, insert, and delete operations on sensitive data accessible through the connectors. Additionally, the vulnerability enables unauthorized read access to subsets of data that the connectors can reach, creating potential data exposure scenarios that could compromise sensitive information. This dual impact on both data integrity and confidentiality aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a significant concern for organizations relying on MySQL database connectivity for critical business operations.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to address this vulnerability, particularly given that the affected versions include several widely deployed releases. The requirement for human interaction suggests that social engineering campaigns targeting specific users might be employed to facilitate exploitation, making employee security awareness training a crucial additional defense measure. Network segmentation and access controls should be reviewed to limit potential attack surfaces, while monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual database access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would align with techniques involving credential access and privilege escalation, making it important for security teams to implement comprehensive monitoring and incident response procedures that can detect and respond to such threats effectively.