CVE-2020-2895 in MySQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the MySQL Server product of Oracle MySQL (component: InnoDB). Supported versions that are affected are 8.0.19 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 • 05/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-2895 affects the InnoDB storage engine component within Oracle MySQL server versions 8.0.19 and earlier. This represents a critical availability-focused weakness that resides within the database management system's core transactional storage layer. The flaw manifests specifically within the InnoDB engine's handling of certain database operations, creating a potential pathway for malicious actors to disrupt database services through carefully crafted requests. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with minimal technical sophistication can leverage this weakness, particularly when they possess high-privileged network access to the target MySQL server infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of specific database transaction sequences within the InnoDB storage engine. When processing certain concurrent operations or transactional workloads, the engine fails to properly manage memory allocation and resource cleanup, leading to situations where database server processes become unresponsive or enter infinite loops. This flaw operates at the database engine level, meaning that successful exploitation can cause complete denial of service conditions that affect all database operations. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it can be triggered through multiple network protocols, including TCP/IP connections, making it particularly dangerous in environments where database servers are accessible over networks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to database availability and business continuity. A successful attack can result in complete database service disruption, forcing organizations to experience extended downtime while system administrators work to recover affected database instances. The high privilege requirement for exploitation means that attackers must already have elevated access to the network or database system, but this does not mitigate the severity of impact once achieved. Organizations running affected MySQL versions face potential operational disruptions that could affect critical business applications relying on database services, with recovery times potentially extending beyond simple service restarts due to the nature of the crash conditions.
The CVSS 3.0 scoring of 4.9 reflects the vulnerability's moderate severity in terms of exploitability and impact, with the availability impact receiving the highest weight due to the complete denial of service potential. This vulnerability maps to CWE-121 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, which describes issues related to buffer overflow conditions in storage engines and database management systems. The attack vector requires network access with high privileges, indicating that this vulnerability could be exploited by attackers who have already compromised network access or have legitimate administrative credentials. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure, while also monitoring for unusual database behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-2895 primarily focus on upgrading to patched versions of MySQL server where available. Oracle released updates addressing this vulnerability in subsequent MySQL 8.0 releases, making it essential for organizations to implement these patches as soon as possible. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network-level controls to restrict access to database servers, particularly limiting direct network access to authorized administrative systems. Database administrators should monitor for unusual connection patterns or resource consumption that might indicate exploitation attempts, while also implementing robust backup and recovery procedures to minimize downtime impacts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the 'Denial of Service' technique, where adversaries leverage weaknesses in database systems to disrupt service availability, making it important for security teams to understand both the technical and operational implications of such attacks.